Nine people aboard the Turkish-flagged commercial vessel Alsu have been detained following a collision with another Turkish-flagged vessel off Istanbul that led to the second ship sinking, with its 10-member crew still missing.
The collision occurred at around 3 a.m. local time on Wednesday, approximately 18 nautical miles south of Silivri, when the Tuğberk Imamoğlu, which was sailing from Kocaeli to Aliağa carrying coiled sheet metal and construction steel, collided with the Alsu.
The Tuğberk Imamoğlu sank following the collision, while authorities continue search-and-rescue efforts to locate its 10 crew members.
The Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting a judicial investigation into the accident. Nine of the 10 people aboard the Alsu, excluding the cook, have been treated as suspects and have given statements aboard the vessel.
The suspects are being kept aboard the Alsu under gendarmerie supervision while the judicial and administrative investigations continue, with authorities also taking the vessel’s safety into consideration.
An expert panel appointed by the prosecutor’s office is examining the incident to determine the responsibilities and potential fault of those involved. A preliminary report is expected to be submitted to the prosecutor’s office, after which authorities will determine which suspects will be referred to the courthouse.
Tests conducted on the suspects found no traces of alcohol, while blood samples were also taken for further examination.
Divers are expected to inspect the underwater sections of the Alsu as part of the investigation.
According to statements from the suspects, two or three crew members aboard the Tuğberk Imamoğlu were on the deck shortly before the vessel sank. Authorities said there is currently no evidence indicating that they survived.
The prosecutor’s office said there may be a possibility of recovering the bodies if the crew members are confirmed to have died, although the wreckage of the Tuğberk Imamoğlu has not yet been located.
Search-and-rescue operations for the missing crew members are continuing in coordination with relevant institutions and organizations.
The prosecutor’s office said it has ordered the collection and preservation of navigation, radar and communication records from both vessels, as well as all other information, documents, footage and evidence related to the collision.
A deputy chief public prosecutor and two public prosecutors have been assigned to oversee the investigation, while a separate administrative inquiry into the accident is also underway.