Turkish authorities have detained nine crew members of the oil tanker ALSU following a collision with the cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu, which subsequently sank off the coast of Istanbul. The incident occurred early Wednesday, approximately 18 nautical miles from Silivri, on the western edge of Istanbul province. The ALSU, reportedly empty at the time, struck the Tugberk Imamoglu, a Turkish-flagged cargo vessel transporting 4,200 tons of rolled steel and reinforcing bars. Officials stated that the cargo ship sank rapidly in waters approximately 900 meters deep, leaving all ten crew members missing.
The ALSU tanker itself did not suffer damage, and the cause of the collision remains unclear. According to the Anadolu news agency, nine crew members of the tanker, excluding the ship’s cook, were detained and have provided statements to the police as part of the ongoing investigation.
Search and rescue efforts have been extensive, with 18 vessels, five helicopters, two unmanned aerial vehicles, and an aircraft deployed to the scene. Additionally, a navy vessel has been conducting underwater searches for the missing crew of the Tugberk Imamoglu, which was built in 1990 and measures 90 meters in length.
Initial reports from the maritime directorate suggested the ALSU was carrying 3,000 tons of motor oil, but authorities later clarified that the tanker was empty at the time of the collision, a detail confirmed by the Istanbul governor’s office. The reason for the incident and fate of the missing crew members are still under investigation.
