A search and rescue operation was initiated Wednesday off the coast of Istanbul following a collision between two cargo vessels in the Marmara Sea. The incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. in waters located more than 20 miles, or 32 kilometers, south of Silivri, a western suburb of Turkey’s largest city, according to an official statement from the Istanbul governor’s office.
Authorities lost contact with the crew of the Tugberk Imamoglu, a 90-meter Turkish-flagged cargo ship, immediately following the collision. The second vessel involved, the 91-meter Turkish-flagged Alsu, appeared to remain undamaged after the impact. According to data from the Marine Traffic website, the Tugberk Imamoglu was en route from the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun to Eregli in the Black Sea, while the Alsu, identified as an oil or chemical tanker, was traveling from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to Aliaga on the Aegean coast.
In response to the emergency, the governor’s office confirmed that numerous naval units from the coast guard’s Marmara and Bosphorus Command were dispatched to the scene, alongside a coast guard helicopter to assist in the search for the 10 crew members. The Turkish Straits, which consist of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles at either end of the Marmara Sea, represent one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, with hundreds of thousands of vessels transiting between the Mediterranean and Black Seas annually.
