Two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collide off Istanbul; 10 crew members unreachable

Two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara on Wednesday, after which contact was lost with one of the ships, the Istanbul governor’s office said, news agency Reuters reported.

The Turkish-flagged Alsu, which was sailing towards the Aegean port of Aliaga, and the Tugberk Imamoglu, heading to the Black Sea port of Karadenizeregli, collided off Istanbul’s Silivri district at around 3 am (0000 GMT) on Wednesday, according to a statement from the governor’s office. 

Coast guard vessels and helicopters were deployed to the area for search and rescue operations. The statement said there was no visible damage to the Alsu. However, authorities were unable to establish contact with the Tugberk Imamoglu and its 10 crew members.

According to data from the Istanbul Chamber of Maritime Commerce, the Tugberk Imamoglu, owned by Zeybe Denizcilik, is a bulk carrier, while the Alsu, owned by Ozpulathane Deniz Tasimaciligi, is a chemical tanker.

The search and rescue operation remained underway, the governor’s office said.