Turkish Cargo Ship Sinks After Collision in Marmara Sea

The Turkish-flagged cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu sank in the Marmara Sea on Wednesday following a collision with the Turkish-flagged chemical tanker Alsu. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. local time approximately 20 to 22 miles south of Silivri, a suburb of Istanbul.

Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the Transport Minister of Turkey, reported that the vessel sank rapidly in approximately 11 minutes. The cargo ship was transporting rolled steel from Iskenderun to Eregli at the time of the accident. Ten Turkish crew members, including the captain, are missing. While rescue teams have recovered debris and a lifeboat, no survivors have been found.

The Alsu, which was traveling from Kocaeli to Aliaga, sustained no visible damage. The General Directorate of Maritime Affairs coordinated search operations involving 12 rescue vessels and two helicopters. Authorities determined the ship had sunk after it failed to respond to calls and the mobile phones of the personnel on board went unanswered.