Tiffany’s jewelry executive dies after mystery cruise ship fall. The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday that Dilek Ertek, a wealthy 71-year-old Turkish distributor for the high-end jewelrycompany Tiffany & Co., fell to her death off a Norwegian cruise ship on October 26. It is not clear why she fell.
Her body hasn't been found yet, and experts say they don't know how 5'2" Ertek fell over a 3-foot-high guard rail on the ship and into the South Pacific off the coast of Tahiti. Her son, Gokce Atuk, told the Mail that jewelry had been taken from the safe in his mom's cabin.
Ertek was on a trip to the South Sea Islands with a partner when she died while celebrating her birthday on the Norwegian Spirit ship.
According To The Turkish News Source Hürriyet Daily News
Turkish newssource Hürriyet Daily News says that Ertek fell off the cruise ship around 3 a.m. on the morning of the 26th. This is based on CCTV footage from the ship. Her partner, who is 74 years old, didn't report her missing for 20 hours.
This led the ship's crew to keep an unnamed Swiss man under observation until the ship docked in Tahiti three days later.
“„Balconies are made entirely of glass and have railings. Their height easily reaches the chest level of a medium-sized person.- Unnamed ship officer
Tahiti police then questioned Ertek's partner before letting her go because they didn't have enough evidence, according to the Daily Mail. Ertek's lawyers have now filed a lawsuit against the cruise ship operator and are arguing that it is the country of Tahiti's job to lead the investigation into how she died.
A Turkish news site called Sabah says that an unnamed officer on the cruise ship Norwegian Spirit has been talking about Ertek's death on social media. The officer reportedly said:
“„Safety on board is a really important issue. Precautions are taken into consideration right from the shipbuilding phase. Balconies are made entirely of glass and have railings. Their height easily reaches the chest level of a medium-sized person. It is not possible to fall. In order to jump, you need to make an effort because it is not easy to put your foot on [the balcony]. You have to get on [a] chair. It’s also unlikely that someone intoxicated will fall.- Unnamed officer working on the Norwegian Spirit Cruise ship
Ertek is said to have started making moneywhen she opened the first Tiffany & Co. store in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1995. For more than 20 years, she was the main distributor of the brand's high-end jewelry in her home country.
A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told The Daily Beast on Tuesday:
“„On Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2022, Norwegian Spirit was notified that a 68-year-old female guest went overboard while the ship was sailing in the Pacific Ocean on its way to French Polynesia. The authorities were notified and the United States Coast Guard conducted a search and rescue operation. The investigation is ongoing and we will share updates as appropriate. Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones during this difficult time.- A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line