Turkish Navy Locates Sunken Cargo Ship After Collision Off Istanbul, Search For 10 Crew Continues

Turkish naval forces have found the wreck of the Tugberk Imamoglu, which sank after colliding with another ship in the Marmara Sea off Istanbul.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said on Friday that the wreck was found by the TCB Istakoz-2 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from the Turkish Navy’s TCG Akin rescue and towing vessel.

The ship was found at a depth of hundreds of meters below the sea.

“Our Naval Forces units continue their work in a coordinated manner,” the ministry said.

The TCG Akin has been working at the site since the accident on Wednesday.

Search for 10 crew members continues

The Tugberk Imamoglu collided with the Turkish-flagged Alsu at about 3 a.m. local time (GMT+3) on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

The accident happened about 18 nautical miles (35 km) south of Silivri in the Marmara Sea, according to the Istanbul Governor’s Office.

The Tugberk Imamoglu sank soon after the collision. Authorities then lost contact with the ship and its 10 crew members.

Several Turkish agencies are taking part in the search. They include the Turkish Coast Guard, Naval Forces, General Directorate of Coastal Safety, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency and Turkish Red Crescent.

The search involves 18 vessels, 5 helicopters, 2 unmanned aerial vehicles and 1 aircraft. A naval vessel is also searching underwater.

A crisis centre set up by Silivri’s Provincial Directorate of Disaster and Emergency Management is following the operation in real time.

The Defence Ministry said naval forces were continuing their work around the clock.

Tugberk Imamoglu was carrying steel

The Tugberk Imamoglu was carrying 4,199 tonnes of rolled steel when the collision happened.

It was sailing from Iskenderun in southern Türkiye to Karadeniz Eregli on the Black Sea coast.

The other ship, the Alsu, was sailing empty from Kocaeli in northwestern Türkiye to Aliaga in western Türkiye.

The Alsu did not suffer any visible damage. It stayed in the area after the collision and is now anchored off Silivri.

ROV found the wreck

The TCB Istakoz-2 ROV located the Tugberk Imamoglu underwater.

The ROV was operating from the TCG Akin, a rescue and towing vessel belonging to the Turkish Naval Forces.

The Defence Ministry said the ROV identified the ship at a depth of hundreds of meters.

Finding the wreck gives search teams its exact underwater location as they continue looking for the missing crew.

Two Alsu captains arrested

The collision is also being investigated by the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors opened a judicial investigation to find out how the collision happened and whether anyone was responsible.

The first and third captains of the Alsu have been arrested on charges linked to negligent deaths.

Four other suspects were released under judicial-control measures.

A preliminary expert report has also been prepared.

Reference: Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Türkiye