Collision between two merchant vessels near Istanbul, search continues for 10 crew members

Two Turkish-flagged merchant vessels collided today in waters near Istanbul, while teams from the authorities have launched an operation to locate 10 crew members.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that the vessels Alsu and Tugberk Imamoglu collided in the early hours of the morning in a maritime area approximately 28 km south of Silivri.

Coast Guard vessels and helicopters were dispatched to the scene and engaged in the search-and-rescue operation. According to the governor’s office, no visible damage was found on one of the vessels, while the authorities have been unable to contact the 10 crew members aboard the other vessel.

The Alsu was traveling from Kocaeli to Aliaga, while the Tugberk Imamoglu had departed from the port of Alexandretta and was bound for Karadeniz Eregli.