Ufuk Koçak, who lost both legs in the 1999 Marmara earthquake and later became a world record-holding diver, now trains tourists in diving in Kaş, a coastal town in Antalya, southern Türkiye.
Ufuk Koçak, now 49, was rescued three days after being trapped under the rubble of his collapsed home in Gölcük during the devastating Marmara earthquake on Aug. 17, 1999. After losing both of his legs, Koçak embraced a new life with the mindset of “I can start all over again.”
He began using prosthetic legs and pursued various sports such as scuba diving, freediving, mountaineering, rock climbing, windsurfing, wheelchair basketball and tennis. He also authored a book titled "Sınırsız" ("Unlimited").
As a psychological counselor, Koçak also contributed to recovery efforts after the twin earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş on Feb. 6, 2023. He spent nine months in the affected region, helping earthquake survivors who had lost limbs.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Koçak organized a sports camp titled “Hello Again to Life,” where nearly 50 earthquake survivors with amputations received training in swimming, horseback riding, diving and canoeing.
In 2017, Koçak set a world record in variable weight freediving – where a diver descends with a sled and ascends using a rope or their own strength –by diving to a depth of 30 meters (nearly 100 feet). Today, he gives diving lessons in Kaş to introduce others to the beauty of the underwater world.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Koçak said sports have become his lifestyle. “These lands are used to not giving up,” he said. “We are a nation that works hard and creates from nothing. After the earthquake, I lost both legs, but I didn’t give up. I set out to achieve everything I had dreamed of. There was so much to experience underwater, in the forests and in the mountains. I started doing everything again as if I were meeting it for the first time. Nature became my greatest guide on my journey of holding on to life."
He added: "Before sailing, I say ‘I’m going to drink the wind,’ and before climbing, I say ‘I’m going to embrace a friend.’ Diving gives me the peace of being in the womb. I’m grateful for everything I can do.”
Koçak expressed his desire to showcase Türkiye’s natural beauty both above and below water, “We are incredibly lucky to live in these lands. The underwater world and the mountains are stunning. I’m working as an instructor in Kaş to promote these beauties. It’s also a chance for me to rest and reflect on new projects. Rather than breaking another record myself, I want to train new athletes who can push those limits.”
Along with AA photojournalist Mahmut Serdar Alakuş, Koçak dived to the wreck of the ALTUG-1 ship, which had been deliberately sunk off the coast of Hidayet Bay between Kaş and the Greek island of Meis after serving for years as a passenger vessel.
During the 30-minute dive, the two divers entered the sunken vessel, conducted observations and admired the underwater scenery through the ship’s windows.
