Ammon News - Two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off ​Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara on ‌Wednesday and contact has been lost with one of the ships, the Istanbul governor's office ​said.

The Turkish-flagged Alsu, en route to the ​Aegean port of Aliaga, and the Turkish-flagged ⁠Tugberk Imamoglu, en route to the Black Sea ​port of Karadenizeregli, collided off the Silivri district of ​Istanbul at around 3 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Wednesday, the governor's office said in a statement.

Coast guard ships and ​helicopters were dispatched to the scene for ​search and rescue, and there was no visible damage ‌on ⁠the Alsu, the statement said. But authorities were unable to establish contact with the Tugberk Imamoglu and its 10 crew ​members.

According to ​data from ⁠the Istanbul Chamber of Maritime Commerce, the Tugberk Imamoglu, owned ​by Zeybe Denizcilik, operates as a ​bulk ⁠carrier, while the Alsu, owned by Ozpulathane Deniz Tasimaciligi, operates as a chemical tanker.

The ⁠search and ​rescue operation was still ​under way, the governor's office statement said.


Reuters