2 Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collide off Istanbul
What's the story
Two commercial Turkish-flagged vessels collided in the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul on Wednesday. The ships involved were the chemical tanker Alsu and bulk carrier Tugberk Imamoglu. The incident took place around 3:00am local time (0000 GMT) off Silivri district, the governor's office said in a statement, adding that authorities have lost contact with Tugberk Imamoglu and its 10 crew members.
Collision details
Authorities lost contact with Tugberk Imamoglu
The Alsu was headed for the Aegean port of Aliaga, while the Tugberk Imamoglu was bound for Karadenizeregli in the Black Sea.
Coast guard ships and helicopters were dispatched to launch a search and rescue operation.
The Istanbul governor's office also confirmed that there was no visible damage on the Alsu.
The Tugberk Imamoglu is owned by Zeybe Denizcilik, while Ozpulathane Deniz Tasimaciligi operates the Alsu.