Two cargo ships sailing under the Turkish flag collided off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara, according to reports from the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing Turkish media.
The incident occurred at approximately 03:00 local time, roughly 18 nautical miles south of Silivri. The collision involved the cargo vessel ALSU, which was en route from Kocaeli to Aliağa, and the cargo vessel TUĞBERK İMAMOĞLU, which was traveling from the Port of Iskenderun to Karadeniz Ereğli.
Following the report of the accident, the Turkish Coast Guard, along with multiple naval units from the Marmara and Straits Regional Command and a Coast Guard helicopter, were dispatched to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.
Initial assessments indicate that the ALSU vessel sustained no significant damage. However, communication has been lost with the 10 crew members aboard the TUĞBERK İMAMOĞLU. Maritime and aerial units are currently continuing search and rescue efforts to locate the missing personnel.
The Sea of Marmara is a critical maritime corridor connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas via the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits. It serves as one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, handling significant volumes of international commercial traffic daily.
