The Costa Concordia disaster has captured the news headlines recently but another incident has occurred in the form of two cargo ships colliding in Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait. Despite the collision the busy waterway remains open to traffic, GAC shipping agency says.
The M/V Kayan-I, a 5,644 tonne Sierra Leone-flagged general-cargo vessel, was taking on water in its stern and had been towed to a secure position, after colliding with the M/V Adriablue in the southern part of the Bosphorus.
“Due to strong south wind M/V Kayan-I collided with M/V Adriablue while she was trying to anchor at Southern Bosphorus anchorage area,” the shipping agency said on Friday.
Further to this the GAC said, in an email, “The situation on M/V Kayan I is getting critical minute by minute, and there was a rescue operation for the crew. The vessel is still taking water, and there is high risk of her sinking.”
The M/V Adriablue sustained damage to its accommodation section but is still afloat.
Both the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits were currently open to shipping traffic, the agency said.
The Bosphorus – the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation – divides Europe from Asia. Its shores are heavily populated as Istanbul – Turkey’s largest city – straddles it.