**Two Turkish-Flagged Commercial Vessels Collide Off Istanbul**
Istanbul, Turkey – In a maritime incident early Wednesday morning, two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided in the Sea of Marmara, resulting in the loss of contact with one of the ships. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) off the coast of the Silivri district, as reported by the Istanbul governor’s office.
The vessels involved in the collision are the Alsu, a chemical tanker owned by Ozpulathane Deniz Tasimaciligi, and the Tugberk Imamoglu, a bulk carrier owned by Zeybe Denizcilik. At the time of the collision, the Alsu was en route to the Aegean port of Aliaga, while the Tugberk Imamoglu was headed towards the Black Sea port of Karadenizeregli.
Following the incident, the Istanbul governor’s office confirmed that coast guard ships and helicopters were promptly dispatched to the location to initiate search and rescue operations. While authorities reported no visible damage to the Alsu, they noted that communication with the Tugberk Imamoglu and its ten crew members had been lost.
The search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with maritime authorities working to locate the missing vessel and its crew. The Istanbul Chamber of Maritime Commerce has provided background information on the vessels, indicating their operational roles within the shipping industry.
As the situation develops, further updates from the authorities are expected regarding the search efforts and the status of the Tugberk Imamoglu and its crew.