10 Crew Members Missing After Marmara Sea Ship Collision

🇹🇷🚢 The Turkish authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the possible sinking of a vessel in the Marmara Sea after a collision near Silivri, Istanbul.

The dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu, which collided with the tanker Alsu during the night, is believed to have sunk. The vessel's lifeboat was found empty, and the whereabouts of its 10 crew members remain unknown.

🚨 The 10 crew members have not been confirmed dead. Their whereabouts remain unknown, and the search and rescue operation is continuing.

🚢 Tuğberk İmamoğlu Is Believed to Have Sunk

The Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said that the dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu is believed to have sunk after it stopped responding to communication attempts.

“As the Tuğberk İmamoğlu did not respond to calls, and the crew members did not answer their mobile phones despite attempts by the Search and Rescue Coordination Center to establish communication, it was concluded that the dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu had sunk.”

The authorities also reported that rescue equipment from the Tuğberk İmamoğlu was found on the surface of the sea, including the vessel's free-fall lifeboat.

“Unfortunately, no crew members were found inside.”

📡 Emergency Signal Detected in the Marmara Sea

The satellite search and rescue system detected a signal from an emergency radio transmitter on a vessel in the Marmara Sea at 03:26. The signal was detected in the traffic separation scheme off the coast of Istanbul's Silivri district.

The signal was identified as belonging to the dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu.

📍 Location: The incident occurred in the Marmara Sea near Silivri, Istanbul, in an area used for the separation of maritime traffic.

💥 How the Collision Happened

At 03:41, the captain of the tanker Alsu informed the Vessel Traffic Services Center that the tanker had collided with an unidentified vessel at approximately 03:15.

Following an analysis of the available data, the authorities determined that the collision involved the tanker Alsu and the dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu.

The tanker Alsu was transporting 2,999 tons of motor oil from Kocaeli to the port of Aliağa.

The dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu was transporting 4,199 tons of rolled steel from İskenderun to the port of Karadeniz Ereğli.

🚨 Search and Rescue Operation Begins

Search and rescue operations were launched immediately after the collision was reported.

The first maritime unit began deploying to the incident area at 04:10.

The search and rescue operation is still continuing.

🚁 The operation currently involves 14 maritime search and rescue units and a helicopter.

🌊 Investigation Continues

Turkish authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the collision and the possible sinking of the Tuğberk İmamoğlu.

The discovery of the vessel's rescue equipment and the emergency signal has provided important information for the ongoing search, but the location and condition of the 10 crew members remain unknown.

The search and rescue teams continue their efforts in the Marmara Sea to locate the missing crew members.

📌 Key information: A collision occurred between the tanker Alsu and the dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu near Silivri. The dry cargo vessel is believed to have sunk, its lifeboat was found empty, and all 10 crew members remain missing. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.