Disasters & Incidents
Istanbul cargo ship sinks; 10 crew missing
A Turkish cargo ship sank in the Marmara Sea near Istanbul after colliding with an empty oil tanker before dawn Wednesday, and rescuers were searching for its 10 crew members, Turkish officials said.
The transport ministry's maritime directorate said the ALSU collided with the Tugberk Imamoglu, a cargo ship carrying rolled steel, 18 nautical miles off Silivri district on the western edge of Istanbul province. The directorate said the Tugberk Imamoglu sank shortly afterwards.
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said authorities received an emergency call at 3:26 am. If the captain's reported collision time of 3:15 am was correct, he said, the ship sank within about 11 minutes.
Uraloglu said the 10 people on board were the captain and nine crew members, all Turkish nationals. He said life buoys and an empty lifeboat had been found, but no survivors had been found so far.
The maritime directorate said 14 vessels and a helicopter were involved in search and rescue operations. It said the Tugberk Imamoglu went down in waters about 900 metres deep. The directorate said the ALSU was not damaged and was also helping with the search.
The directorate initially said the ALSU was carrying 3,000 tonnes of motor oil, but later said the tanker was empty, a detail also confirmed by the governorate.
The cause of the collision was not immediately clear. Tugberk Imamoglu owner Tahsin Dogruyol told Turkish media that his captain had tried to warn the oncoming tanker that it was coming too close. In a separate interview, Dogruyol accused the ALSU's captain of failing to join the rescue effort after the collision.
Maritime engineer Sabri Gokhan told NTV that human error was likely, saying the Sea of Marmara is closely monitored and heavily used by ships. Authorities said the Tugberk Imamoglu was carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal and rebar. VesselFinder listed it as a Turkish-flagged cargo ship built in 1990 and 90 metres long.
Update
Shipowner Tahsin Dogruyol told Turkish media the cargo ship's captain repeatedly warned the approaching tanker that it was coming too close.
Dogruyol accused the ALSU's captain of failing to assist after the collision, while Turkish maritime authorities said the ALSU was helping with the search.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 18:49:47 UTC.
Update
Turkish officials said the ALSU was not damaged in the collision and was helping with the search.
Experts quoted by NTV said the cause was not immediately clear but human error was likely.
Authorities said the Tugberk Imamoglu was carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal and rebar.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 10:13:59 UTC.
Update
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said no survivors had been found so far.
Uraloglu said the captain and nine crew members were all Turkish nationals.
Uraloglu said the ship appeared to sink within about 11 minutes of the captain's reported collision time.
The maritime directorate said the cargo ship sank in waters about 900 metres deep.
The item adds VesselFinder details on the Tugberk Imamoglu's flag, age and length.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 08:15:23 UTC.
Update
Turkish maritime authorities said the Tugberk Imamoglu sank after the collision.
Officials said the ship was carrying 4,200 tons of rolled sheet metal.
The maritime directorate said the ALSU was empty, correcting an earlier statement that it carried motor oil.
The ALSU was damaged but was also taking part in search and rescue work.
Life-saving equipment, including an empty lifeboat from the Tugberk Imamoglu, was found at sea.
Fourteen search and rescue vessels and a helicopter were dispatched.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 07:25:28 UTC.
Update
Turkish maritime authorities said rescuers were searching for the 10 people who were on board.
The maritime directorate said the collision happened at 3:15 am local time, or 0015 GMT.
The directorate said it believed the dry cargo ship had sunk because the vessel and crew could not be reached.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 06:51:27 UTC.
Update
Maritime authorities said the cargo ship sank off Turkey with 10 crew members on board.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 September 2026 at 06:37:08 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The cause of the collision has not been established.
The fate of the 10 crew members remains unresolved.
Dogruyol's accusation that the ALSU failed to assist is attributed; Turkish maritime authorities said the ALSU was helping with the search.
Source
AFP news report published on .