Turkish authorities search for 10 missing crew after cargo ship sinks in Marmara Sea

Turkish authorities are searching for 10 people aboard a cargo ship that sank after a collision with another vessel in the Marmara Sea near Istanbul early Wednesday.

The bulk carrier Tugberk Imamoglu and the chemical tanker Alsu collided at around 3 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) off the city's western Silivri district, the Istanbul governor's office said in a statement.

"Due to the Tugberk Imamoglu vessel failing to respond to any calls and the crew members' mobile phones not being answered ... it is believed the Tugberk Imamoglu dry cargo vessel has sunk," the Transport Ministry's maritime directorate said on X.

It said 14 search and rescue vessels and a helicopter were scouring the area.

The directorate also said that life-saving equipment, including a lifeboat belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu, had been found floating on the surface.

"Unfortunately, the crew members were not inside," it added.

What else do we know about the missing ship?

The 90-meter (295-foot) Turkish-flagged bulk carrier was en route to the Black Sea port of Karadenizeregli from Iskenderun when the collision happened.

According to the maritime directorate, it was carrying 4,200 tons of rolled steel.

The 91-meter (298-foot) Turkish-flagged Alsu, was sailing from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to the Aegean port of Aliaga. It was empty at the time of the collision and did not appear to have suffered any damage, the governor's office said.