A major search and rescue operation is ongoing off the western approaches to Istanbul after the cargo vessel Tugberk Imamoglu, carrying rolled steel, sank rapidly in deep water following a collision with the empty oil tanker ALSU about 18 nautical miles off Silivri. All 10 crew from the cargo ship are missing, Turkish authorities have deployed extensive sea and air assets, and nine members of the tanker’s crew have been detained as part of the safety investigation.
International news agencies and Turkish media report that in the early hours of September 3, 2026, the empty oil tanker ALSU collided with the cargo ship Tugberk Imamoglu, which was transporting rolled steel, roughly 18 nautical miles off the Silivri district on the western edge of Istanbul province. As a result of the collision, the damaged cargo vessel is reported to have sunk “very quickly” in waters around 900 metres deep, with all 10 crew members on board now listed as missing. Turkish authorities immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation in the Sea of Marmara, close to a busy corridor for ships entering and leaving Istanbul.
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