Operation ▁Bar bar ossa ) ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁re lying ▁on ▁its ▁secure ▁southern ▁front . ▁ ▁Inc ident ▁▁ ▁The ▁Turkish ▁military ▁mission ▁came ▁to ▁ 1 7 1 ▁people , ▁compr ising ▁ 1 9 ▁Turkish ▁Navy ▁officers , ▁ 7 2 ▁pet ty ▁officers , ▁ 5 8 ▁se amen , ▁ 2 0 ▁Turkish ▁Air ▁Force ▁Academy ▁cad ets ▁and ▁two ▁civ ili ans . ▁The ▁ship ▁had ▁ 2 8 ▁crew ▁members . ▁A ▁British ▁l ia ison ▁officer ▁board ed ▁the ▁vessel ▁immediately ▁before ▁her ▁departure , ▁who ▁gave ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁captain ▁ İ z zet ▁Dal g ak ı ran ▁the ▁necessary ▁route ▁details . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁June ▁at ▁ 1 7 : 3 0 ▁hours ▁local ▁time , ▁the ▁Ref ah ▁we ighed ▁anchor , ▁and ▁sa iled ▁towards ▁Port ▁Sa id ▁in ▁eastern ▁Mediter rane an ▁waters ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 ▁people ▁ab o ard . ▁ ▁Turkey ▁was ▁neutral ▁so ▁the ▁voyage ▁was ▁considered ▁safe ▁and ▁the ▁ste amer ▁was ▁not ▁esc orted ▁by ▁war ships . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁at ▁ 2 2 : 3 0 ▁hours , ▁while ▁the ▁passengers ▁were ▁e ating ▁their ▁r ations ▁throughout ▁the ▁ship , ▁an ▁explos ion ▁occurred ▁as ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁about ▁ ▁east ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Cy pr us . ▁She ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁a ▁tor ped o ▁fired ▁from ▁an ▁un ident ified ▁sub marine