MV Karagöl is an oil/chemical tanker owned and operated by the Istanbul based Turkish company YDC Denizcilik A.Ş.

[2] The marine company is also partnered by the ruling AK Party's Istanbul deputy Hasan Kemal Yardımcı.

[5] On November 12, 2008, the Karagöl was hijacked 16 nmi (30 km) off the coast of Yemen[8] near the Horn of Africa.

[9] The ship was allegedly heading to Mumbai, India transporting 4,500 tons of chemical of unknown substance.

[8] Following a message received from the ship's crew that they were attacked by pirates, Turkish authorities informed British warships patrolling in the region as part of a NATO mission about the incident.