Turkiye launches search for cargo ship after vessels collide off Istanbul
Search operations under way after authorities lose contact with 10 crew members after a collision in the Sea of Marmara.
An empty Turkish cargo ship, the ALSU, sank off Istanbul after colliding with another vessel early Wednesday morning, leaving its 10 crew members missing, Turkish officials reported. The incident occurred 18 nautical miles off the western edge of Istanbul province, with the transport ministry’s maritime directorate confirming the sinking shortly after the collision.
The damaged vessel had disappeared "very quickly," with search and rescue efforts underway by sea and air. The collision involved the ALSU and the Tugberk Imamoglu, a cargo ship carrying rolled steel. Despite spotting life buoys and a lifeboat, no survivors were found, as the lifeboat was empty. The incident took place in waters approximately 900 meters deep, and search and rescue operations involved 14 vessels and a helicopter.
The Tugberk Imamoglu, a Turkish-flagged ship built in 1990, was carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal and rebar at the time of the collision.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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