A collision between two cargo ships off the coast of Istanbul has raised alarm in the waters of the Sea of Marmara, while 10 people remain unaccounted for. The official account says the incident took place in the early hours of the morning and that a search-and-rescue operation was launched immediately afterward.
What Turkish authorities said
According to the Istanbul Governor’s Office, the Turkish-flagged ships “Alsu” and “Tugberk Imamoglu” collided at around 03:00 in a maritime area about 28 kilometers south of Silivri.
The official statement said no visible damage was found on one of the vessels, while contact has not been established with 10 people on the other ship.
Search operation in the collision area
After the incident, Coast Guard ships and helicopters were sent to the area for the search-and-rescue operation.
As of the time of the announcement, Turkish authorities said the search was continuing for the crew members reported missing.
Where the two ships were sailing
According to publicly released information, “Alsu” was operating on the Kocaeli-Aliaga route.
Meanwhile, “Tugberk Imamoglu” had departed from the port of Alexandretta and was headed to Karadeniz Eregli.
The incident took place in an important shipping corridor near Istanbul, making the wait for fuller clarification of the circumstances of the collision even more sensitive.
So far, public information remains limited and is based mainly on statements by local authorities on the progress of the operation at sea.