Two Turkish-flagged commercial ships collided off the coast of Istanbul's Silivri district early on Wednesday, with maritime authorities saying one of the vessels is believed to have sunk after contact was lost with the ship and its 10 crew members, while the Turkish Navy has joined the ongoing search and rescue operation.
The Turkish-flagged commercial vessel Alsu, sailing from Kocaeli to Aliaga, collided around 3 am local time (0000GMT) with the Turkish-flagged commercial vessel Tugberk Imamoglu, which was travelling from Iskenderun Port to Karadeniz Eregli, according to the Istanbul Governor's Office.
The collision occurred 18 nautical miles south of Silivri.
The governor's office said vessels from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety and the Coast Guard Marmara and Straits Command, along with a Coast Guard helicopter, were dispatched to the scene.
Initial assessments by responding teams found no visible damage to the Alsu.
The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said in a statement that the Tugberk Imamoglu is believed to have sunk after the vessel failed to respond to any radio calls and none of its crew members answered their phones.
“Life-saving equipment belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu vessel (including the free-fall lifeboat), for which 10 crew members were assigned, has been located on the sea surface; unfortunately, no ship personnel have been detected inside them,” the directorate said.
“Developments regarding the maritime accident are being monitored, and the public will be informed,” it added.
Investigation launched into collision
The Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the collision, assigning a deputy chief public prosecutor and two prosecutors to the case.
The prosecutor's office said the Tugberk Imamoglu was carrying rolled steel and construction rebar, while the Alsu was carrying motor oil when the two vessels collided.
It said instructions were issued to conduct expert examinations to determine how and why the accident occurred and identify any possible responsibility.
Authorities were also ordered to secure and collect the vessels' navigation, radar, and communication records, as well as all other documents, footage, and evidence related to the collision.
