Cargo Ship Sinks After Collision in Marmara Sea, 10 Crew Missing

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A cargo ship sank in the Marmara Sea off Istanbul early Wednesday after colliding with an empty oil tanker, with Turkish authorities launching a search-and-rescue operation for 10 crew members believed to have been on board.

The accident occurred at around 3:15 a.m. local time, when the Tugberk Imamoglu, a dry cargo vessel carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal, collided with the ALSU, an empty oil tanker, Türkiye’s Transport and Infrastructure Ministry’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said.

The collision took place about 18 nautical miles off Istanbul’s Silivri district, on the western edge of the province, according to the Istanbul governor’s office.

Authorities said the Tugberk Imamoglu failed to respond to calls following the collision, while none of its crew members answered their mobile phones, leading officials to conclude that the vessel had sunk.

Fourteen search-and-rescue vessels were dispatched to the area, supported by a helicopter, as emergency teams searched for the missing crew.

“Life-saving equipment, including a lifeboat belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu, which had 10 crew members on board, has been found at sea. Unfortunately, the crew members were not inside,” the maritime directorate said.

The ALSU was damaged in the collision but remained involved in the search-and-rescue operation.

The maritime directorate initially reported that the tanker was carrying 3,000 tons of motor oil. It later corrected the information, saying the ALSU was empty, a detail confirmed by the Istanbul governor’s office.

The sinking comes just three days after a deadly ferry accident off Northern Cyprus in which eight Turkish nationals were killed. Search teams were still looking for 20 people reported missing from that incident.

The latest accident adds to concerns over maritime safety in the region as Turkish authorities continue rescue operations in the waters surrounding the country.