A Turkish cargo ship, the Tugberk Imamoglu, sank in the Marmara Sea near Istanbul after colliding with an empty oil tanker, the ALSU, early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred approximately 18 nautical miles off Silivri, leading to the disappearance of the vessel’s 10 crew members, all Turkish nationals. Search-and-rescue operations are currently underway, involving 14 vessels and a helicopter, but as of now, no survivors have been found.
The incident involved the chemical tanker Alsu, which was transporting approximately 3,000 tonnes of engine oil, and the bulk carrier Tugberk Imamoglu, loaded with around 4,200 tonnes of coiled steel. The collision occurred around 3 a.m. local time, as the Tugberk Imamoglu was heading to the Black Sea port of Karadenizeregli while the Alsu was bound for the Aegean port of Aliaga.
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu indicated that the ship sank rapidly, noting that the emergency call was received just 11 minutes after the reported time of the collision. The crew members were unresponsive to calls on their mobile phones. Although some life-saving equipment, including a lifeboat, has been recovered, it was confirmed that no crew members were found inside.
Emergency signals were received by Turkey’s maritime affairs authority from the Tugberk Imamoglu at 3:26 a.m., with the captain of the Alsu reporting the collision shortly thereafter. However, authorities lost contact with the Tugberk Imamoglu and its crew, who did not respond to repeated attempts to reach them, leading to concerns that the vessel had sunk.
The Tugberk Imamoglu, built in 1990 and measuring around 90 meters in length, was transporting approximately 4,200 tonnes of rolled steel and rebar at the time of the accident. Initial reports suggested the ALSU was carrying motor oil, but it was later clarified that the tanker was empty during the collision. Rescue efforts continue in the search for the missing crew members.
Related posts:
Luxury Yacht Sinks in Palermo Storm, One Dead and Six Missing Including British Tech Entrepreneur
Maritime Accident Off Britain’s Coast Raises Safety Concerns
Search Continues for 22 Crew Missing After Cargo Ship Sinks Off India’s East Coast
Survivors of Sunken Panama-Flagged Vessel Brought Safely to Paradip
