World News

Turkish coast guard searches for cargo ship and crew of 10 after Marmara Sea collision

Contact was lost with the Turkish-flagged Tugberk Imamoglu following a collision with a tanker off the coast of Istanbul.

Updated Sep 2, 2026 · 08:17 UTC4 reports

The short version

Two commercial ships collided in the Sea of Marmara south of Silivri early Wednesday.
Turkish authorities lost contact with the 90-meter cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu and its 10 crew members.
The second vessel, the tanker Alsu, appeared undamaged following the incident.
A search and rescue mission involving naval units and a helicopter is actively underway.

The collision occurred around 3:00 a.m. local time in the Sea of Marmara, roughly 20 miles south of the Istanbul suburb of Silivri.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
Contact was lost with the 10-person crew aboard the Turkish-flagged cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu following the crash.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
According to the Istanbul governor's office, the other involved vessel, the Turkish-flagged tanker Alsu, appeared undamaged.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
The coast guard deployed multiple naval units and a helicopter to search the area.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
The Tugberk Imamoglu was traveling from Iskenderun on the Mediterranean to a Black Sea port when the crash occurred.[ABC News · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]

The physical condition of the Tugberk Imamoglu, whether it has sunk, and the status of its 10 crew members remain unconfirmed.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
The cause of the collision between the two vessels has not been established.[ABC News · Al Jazeera · Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]