Turkey: Ship sinks off Istanbul after collision, 10 crew members missing

Turkish authorities announced on Wednesday that a commercial vessel, believed to have sunk in the Sea of Marmara off the coast of Istanbul after colliding with another ship, remains the subject of a search operation, with the fate of its ten crew members still unknown.

The Turkish General Directorate of Maritime Affairs stated that the vessel “Tugberk Imamoglu” did not respond to any communication attempts following the incident, and officials were unable to reach the crew via their mobile phones, leading to the assessment that the ship had sunk.

A distress signal from the vessel’s emergency equipment was detected at 03:26 local time, prompting Coast Guard and maritime safety services to immediately launch search and rescue operations.

Rescue teams found the ship’s life-saving appliances, including a free-fall lifeboat, on the sea surface, but none of the ten crew members were found inside.

Earlier, the Istanbul governorate reported that the two Turkish vessels, “Alsu” and “Tugberk Imamoglu,” collided off Silivri, south of Istanbul. It noted that the “Alsu” showed no visible damage, while contact with the other vessel and its crew was lost.

Search and rescue teams continue their operations in the area to locate the crew members and determine the circumstances of the incident.