Turkiye launches search for cargo ship after vessels collide off Istanbul

Search and rescue operations under way as authorities lose contact with 10 crew members after a vessel collision near Istanbul.Turkiye’s coastguard has launched a search and rescue operation after two Turkish-flagged commercial vessels collided off Istanbul and contact was lost with one vessel and its crew of 10.The collision took place at 3am (00:00 GMT) in the Marmara Sea a little more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) south of Silivri, a suburb of Turkey’s largest city, the Istanbul governor’s office said in a statement on Wednesday.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Refugee boat sinks off western Turkiye, killing at least 14list 2 of 2At least 14 dead after migrant boat crashes into Turkish coastguard vesselend of listContact was lost with the crew of the Tugberk Imamoglu, flagged to Turkey, after the collision with the Turkish-flagged Alsu, which appeared undamaged, the governor’s office said.“Numerous naval units from the coast guard’s Marmara and Bosphorus Command and a coast guard helicopter were dispatched to the scene,” the office said.