Contact lost with ship carrying 10 after collision off Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities launched a search-and-rescue operation early on Sept. 2 after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided in the Marmara Sea and contact was lost with one ship and its 10 crew members.

The Alsu and the Tuğberk İmamoğlu collided at around 3 a.m. about 18 nautical miles south of Istanbul’s Silivri district, the Istanbul Governor’s Office said.

The Alsu was sailing from the northwestern province of Kocaeli to the Aegean port of Aliağa, while the Tuğberk İmamoğlu was traveling from the southern port of İskenderun to the Black Sea port of Karadeniz Ereğli.

Coastal Safety and Coast Guard vessels, along with a coast guard helicopter, were sent to the area.

Initial checks found no visible damage to the Alsu. Authorities, however, were unable to establish contact with the Tuğberk İmamoğlu or its crew, and search-and-rescue efforts were continuing.