2 cargo ships collide in Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait

ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) — Two cargo ships collided on Thursday in Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, the local NTV broadcaster reported.
The incident occurred off the Uskudar district on the Asian side of the city when an 80-meter ship traveling from Georgia’s Batumi to Saudi Arabia collided with a 180-meter vessel heading to Batumi from Spain, said the report.
Following the collision, a ship with its rudder locked began to drift toward the shore, the report added, noting that rescue tugboats had been dispatched to the scene.
The Transport and Infrastructure Ministry stated that the incident only caused material damage to the ships involved, which have been towed to the Ahirkapi anchorage area.
The cause of the collision was not immediately clear, and the Coast Guard is investigating any possible negligence concerning it, according to NTV broadcaster. ■