Turkish authorities have sent six crew members to court as the investigation into a collision in the Sea of Marmara deepens, while search teams continue looking for 10 Turkish crew members still missing after the cargo ship *Tuğberk İmamoğlu* sank.
The incident happened on September 2, 2026, near Silivri, off Istanbul, when two vessels collided around 03:00 local time. One of them, the bulk carrier *Tuğberk İmamoğlu*, went down after the crash. The ship’s crew were all Turkish citizens, and the search for the missing members was still under way in the evidence provided.
According to the BBC Turkish report, nine people from the crew of the other vessel, *Alsu*, were detained. Of those, six were referred to court. The report says preliminary findings from experts identified several negligence-related issues on both ships, but it does not indicate that a final judicial decision has been made.
The investigation is still developing, and the evidence points to a case focused on seamanship, bridge management and navigation procedures. The BBC report says the preliminary expert assessment found an inexperienced officer was on watch on the bridge of *Alsu* at the time of the collision. It also says the vessel’s captain was not on the bridge and was asleep in his cabin.
On the *Tuğberk İmamoğlu* side, the report says the ship’s AIS, or Automatic Identification System, was switched off. It describes the vessel as sailing in what it calls a “ghost ship” mode before impact. The experts also said the ship turned to starboard when it was about 0.5 nautical miles from the other vessel, even though the two ships had reached a radio understanding before the collision.
The preliminary report also says the *Alsu* watch officer tried to maneuver to port rather than stop the vessel, which was listed as another negligence point. The BBC report quotes the shipowner, Tahsin Doğruyol, as saying they learned of the incident through their vessel’s alarm system and that 31 minutes had been lost. He also said there is a duty at sea to save lives and property and that a ship striking another and leaving the scene cannot be acceptable.
Radio recordings cited in the report suggest repeated warnings were made to *Alsu* to turn to port. In the recordings, one voice can be heard saying, “Alsu, turn to port,” while another side responds more calmly with “Understood.” The report does not say whether the recordings have been independently authenticated beyond the investigative material cited.
Authorities also said the dry cargo ship *Tuğberk İmamoğlu* issued an emergency signal near Silivri. The signal may have been sent automatically as the vessel sank. The ship had left İskenderun and was heading to Karadeniz Ereğli with 4,199 tons of rolled steel, according to the report. MarineTraffic data cited in the same report placed the ship at roughly 90 meters long and about 13 meters wide.
The tanker *Alsu* was traveling from Kocaeli to Aliağa and was empty, the report said. MarineTraffic data put it at about 91 meters in length and 13 meters in width. The report says investigators determined the collision occurred in the traffic separation lane in the Sea of Marmara.
Search and rescue operations were launched after the collision. Coast Guard and Coastal Safety teams began a large-scale response, and initial aid reached the scene at 04:10. Although lifeboats and a free-fall lifeboat belonging to *Tuğberk İmamoğlu* were found in the sea, no crew members were found in them.
The BBC report says 14 maritime search-and-rescue assets and one helicopter were assigned in the first phase of the operation. The Defense Ministry later said Navy units were ordered into the area by 08:40, and that a drone had reached the scene to begin work. It also said several military vessels, including frigate, rescue, landing and fast-attack craft, were being sent toward the search area.
The case remains an active rescue and criminal investigation, with authorities still trying to account for the missing crew while courts review the detained suspects.
