Fire on Turkish oil tanker in Bosphorus


A fire broke out on an oil tanker off Istanbul's Yenikapı coast. A crewmember was was injured in the blaze. The crew of "Yakamoz 5" was evacuated. Coast guard ships rushed to the aid of the burning tanker and extinguished the fire. Over 50,000 vessels pass through Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait every year and those include tankers carrying highly flammable oil. Turkey, in compliance with the 1936 Montreaux convention, has to allow open access for all civilian vessels in peacetimes.