10 Lives Lost as Turkish Cargo Ship Vanishes in 11 Minutes
The 4,200-tonne vessel carrying rolled steel sank after crashing into a tanker, leaving all 10 Turkish crew missing.
A Turkish cargo vessel sank within minutes after colliding with a tanker in the Sea of Marmara early Wednesday, leaving all 10 crew members missing. The incident has prompted an extensive search and rescue operation led by Turkish authorities.
The Tugberk Imamoglu, a 90-metre cargo ship carrying 4,200 tonnes of rolled steel, went down in just 11 minutes after striking the empty chemical tanker ALSU. The collision occurred at approximately 3:15 am in the Marmara Traffic Separation Scheme, a busy shipping lane south of Istanbul.
Rapid Sinking and Missing Crew: Turkish
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed that all 10 crew members—including the captain—were Turkish nationals. Rescue teams have recovered an empty lifeboat, debris, and life buoys but have found no survivors. The emergency call was received at 3:26 am, indicating the vessel sank almost immediately after impact.
The Turkish Navy has deployed 14 specialised vessels and two helicopters to search a 32-kilometre area south of Silivri. However, maritime analysts warn that the ship likely settled in waters 800 to 900 metres deep, complicating recovery efforts.
Ongoing Search and Investigation
The ALSU, which sustained no major damage, remained afloat and assisted in the search. Authorities noted that the Tugberk Imamoglu was not transmitting its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal at the time of the collision, a factor that may have contributed to the accident. The ship’s owner reported that its captain had radioed the tanker to warn of its approach, but the exact cause remains under investigation.
The Sea of Marmara, a critical link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, sees heavy vessel traffic annually. The Marmara Traffic Separation Scheme, where the collision occurred, is designed to regulate navigation in the congested waterway.
Sign up free to ask CAMAL AI for a summary, the key points or anything else about this story.
Related stories
CAMAL AI
Financial Ports Newsletter
The maritime economy, every morning
Ports, shipping and freight markets in one short email. Free.
