Turkey detains nine tanker crew after collision

Turkish authorities have detained nine crew members from the ALSU oil tanker following a collision with a cargo ship off Istanbul that resulted in the sinking of the vessel and the disappearance of all 10 crew aboard. The incident occurred early Wednesday, 18 nautical miles off the Silivri district on Istanbul's western edge. The cargo ship, Tugberk Imamoglu, was carrying rolled steel and reinforcing bars, while the ALSU, an empty oil tanker, sustained no damage from the collision.

The cause of the collision remains unclear. The search and rescue efforts involved 18 vessels, five helicopters, two unmanned aerial vehicles, and a navy ship, with underwater searches conducted by a navy vessel. The Tugberk Imamoglu, a 90-meter Turkish-flagged cargo ship built in 1990, is reported to have been carrying 4,200 tonnes of rolled steel sheets and reinforcing bars at the time of the collision.