Two cargo ships flying the Turkish flag collided in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday, September 2. According to maritime authorities, one of the ships lost contact with the outside world after the collision and is suspected to have sunk. The ship had a total of 10 crew members on board, and their whereabouts are currently unknown.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport’s Maritime Affairs Authority stated that a helicopter and 14 Coast Guard ships are involved in the search and rescue operation. The navy has also joined the rescue efforts.
Reports from the Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency mentioned that the Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that the cargo ship “Alsu,” flying the Turkish flag, was sailing from Kocaeli to Aliaga when it collided with another Turkish-flagged cargo ship, “Tugberk Imamoglu,” which was en route from Iskenderun Port to Karadeniz Eregli, at around 3 am local time on Wednesday.
The collision occurred about 18 nautical miles south of Silivri in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Istanbul Governor’s Office released a statement saying that Coast Guard ships and a helicopter have been dispatched to the scene for the rescue operation.
“We are closely monitoring the developments of the maritime incident and will inform the public in a timely manner,” the statement added.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the “Alsu” ship did not sustain significant damage. In a statement, the Maritime Affairs Authority mentioned that due to the lack of response from the “Tugberk Imamoglu” and the inability to contact the crew via mobile phone, it is believed that the ship has sunk.
The Maritime Affairs Authority further stated that the life-saving equipment of the “Tugberk Imamoglu,” including free-fall lifeboats, has been found on the surface of the sea; unfortunately, no crew members were discovered inside the life-saving equipment.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Silivri has initiated an investigation into the collision incident and assigned a Deputy Chief Prosecutor and two prosecutors to handle the case.
The Prosecutor’s Office noted that the “Tugberk Imamoglu” cargo ship was carrying coil steel and construction steel bars at the time of the collision, while the “Alsu” cargo ship was transporting diesel oil.