Turkish cargo ship sinks off Istanbul after collision, 10 crew missing

A Turkish cargo ship sank rapidly in the Marmara Sea on Wednesday after colliding with an oil tanker, leaving all 10 crew members missing and feared dead. The incident occurred approximately 18 nautical miles off the coast of Istanbul's Silivri district in the early hours of the morning. The Turkish-flagged dry cargo vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu, carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal, collided with the empty oil tanker Alsu at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time. According to Turkish transport ministry officials, the cargo ship sank within just 11 minutes of the impact. An emergency signal was received from the vessel, but all 10 Turkish crew members, including the captain, remain unaccounted for. Maritime authorities reported that the crew did not respond to calls or mobile phone attempts after the collision. A large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately launched by the Turkish Coast Guard and transport ministry. Fourteen emergency rescue vessels, naval assets including frigates, and aircraft were deployed to scour the area.