admin Two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided in the Sea of Marmara early Wednesday, and authorities were unable to establish contact with one of the vessels and its 10 crew members, the Istanbul Governor’s Office said.
The collision occurred approximately 18 nautical miles south of Istanbul’s Silivri district, involving the Turkish-flagged commercial vessels Alsu and Tugberk Imamoglu, the governor’s office said in a statement.
Numerous vessels from the Turkish Coast Guard and the General Directorate of Coastal Safety, along with a Coast Guard helicopter, were dispatched to the scene.
Initial assessments by responding units found no visible damage to the Alsu, while authorities were unable to establish contact with the Tugberk Imamoglu and its 10-member crew, the statement said.
Search and rescue operations were launched by sea and air, with Coast Guard and maritime rescue units deployed to the area.
Turkey’s maritime affairs authority later said the Tugberk Imamoglu was believed to have sunk after it failed to respond to calls and authorities were unable to reach its crew.
The cause of the collision and further details of the incident were not immediately known.
The Sea of Marmara forms part of the Turkish Straits system, a major maritime route linking the Black Sea with the Aegean Sea. The area is a busy shipping lane, with heavy vessel traffic and challenging maritime conditions.
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