Four Indian sailors, stranded for ten months on an abandoned container ship off the Turkish coast, have finally been rescued, as confirmed by an inspector from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to AFP. According to ITF data, 2025 marked a record year for seafarer abandonment, affecting 6,233 individuals across 410 vessels, with Indian nationals being the most severely impacted. Turkey reported the highest number of abandonment cases last year, totaling 61 incidents. The sailors had been trapped on the Mongolia-flagged vessel AZRA C since August 2025.
The ship was anchored in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul, and the crew’s situation worsened after the ship’s alleged owners were arrested in January 2026 during a significant international drug bust. Currently, there are 15 foreign-flagged vessels classified as abandoned in the Sea of Marmara, a crucial maritime route between the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits.
Selahattin Polat, the ITF’s Turkish representative, confirmed the crew’s ordeal has come to an end. Last week, the sailors expressed their distress through an intermediary. During their time on board, the ITF and the Marine Employees’ Solidarity Association (DAD-DER) provided essential supplies and fresh drinking water.
Despite international maritime law requiring that ships maintain adequate crew levels for emergencies, no replacements were sent for the abandoned vessel. As a result, the ship was left unmanned, and its security will now be managed through alternative means while legal proceedings regarding its abandonment continue. This incident underscores a growing, systemic issue of vessel abandonment in the maritime industry.
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