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Two Turkish-flagged commercial ships collided off Silivri in the Marmara Sea early Wednesday, and authorities could not establish contact with the 10 crew members aboard one of the vessels, the Istanbul Governor’s Office reported.
The Alsu and Tugberk Imamoglu collided at around 3 a.m. local time (GMT+3), about 18 miles south of Silivri, the governor’s office said. Several maritime units from the Coastal Safety Directorate and the Coast Guard Marmara and Straits Command, along with a coast guard helicopter, were dispatched to the scene.
Search-and-rescue operations continue in the area as authorities look for the missing crew members.
The Alsu was traveling from Kocaeli, in northwestern Türkiye, to Aliaga, in Izmir province on the Aegean coast, carrying 2,999 tons of engine oil, while the Tugberk Imamoglu was sailing from Iskenderun, in southern Türkiye's Hatay province, to Karadeniz Eregli, in Zonguldak province on the Black Sea coast, carrying 4,199 tons of steel coils.
Türkiye's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs said the Tugberk Imamoglu did not respond to repeated calls, while attempts to reach its crew members by cellphone also went unanswered. Authorities therefore assessed that the vessel had sunk.
The directorate also reported that life-saving equipment belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu, including its free-fall lifeboat, was found on the sea surface, but no crew members were located inside.
A total of 14 maritime search-and-rescue units, one helicopter and the Alsu tanker are taking part in the operation as the search continues.
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