Tugberk-Imamoglu Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On September 5, Turkish Search and Rescue (SAR) teams made a significant breakthrough by locating the wreck of the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' in the Sea of Marmara. The sunken vessel was discovered at a depth of 720 meters, approximately 18 nautical miles from the Silivri coast in İstanbul province, during an operation led by the TCG 'Akın'. The recovery efforts utilized a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to explore the seabed, providing vital imagery that confirmed the wreck's location. In the aftermath of this discovery, efforts to access the vessel continue, with hopes of reaching the crew members who may still be trapped inside. On August 5, İstanbul Governor Davut Gül visited the TCG 'Akın' to monitor the situation firsthand and viewed images relayed by the underwater robot. The footage captured revealed a large breach in the hull midship area, though officials have not clarified whether this damage resulted from a collision or was a consequence of the sinking. Search operations remain ongoing as the investigation deepens into the fate of the missing crew.

In a significant development related to the maritime collision incident involving the 'Alsu', Captain Ahmet Erarslan and Second Officer Murat Evciman were arrested during an investigation initiated by the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The duo provided detailed accounts of the events leading up to the crash with the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu', a vessel hauling 4,199 metric tons of rolled steel and reinforcing bars. Murat Evciman, who was at the wheel during the incident, recounted that the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' approached their vessel without any visible navigation lights, and they were unable to detect it on the AIS system. "When the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' contacted us via radio to 'take it to port', I could finally see it on radar, but I had not visually spotted the ship’s navigation lights. My AIS was showing no signal from the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' either," Evciman said. He remarked that initially, he turned his ship five degrees to port only to receive further instructions to redirect again, ultimately putting the 'Alsu' alongside the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' at a distance of roughly 700–800 meters. As the distance closed to 500 meters, Evciman sensed an impending maneuver by the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu'. He shouted over the radio, warning the other vessel: ‘Tuğberk İmamoğlu, you are heading towards me—stop.’ Yet, the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' continued its approach, ultimately colliding with the starboard bow of the 'Alsu'. "I only recognized the lights of the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' when it started its turn towards us," he added. Captain Ahmet Erarslan was off duty during the crash but quickly went to the deck upon hearing cries of ‘We’ve collided!’ By this time, the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' was about 300 meters away and its lights disappeared shortly thereafter. "From my perspective, the ‘Tuğberk İmamoğlu’ should have steered to port as we did, but it instead turned to starboard, causing the collision. I do not attribute fault to myself in this incident as our impact was merely a glancing blow," Erarslan stated. He noted that their AIS equipment was functioning while the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' did not register on their system. In light of this tragedy, the Turkish navy's TCG 'Akin' has been active in the area since the collision, identifying the sunken vessel's location, while Search and Rescue teams remain on duty. Multiple agencies, including the Coast Guard and Turkish Red Crescent, are collectively engaged in ongoing operations, utilizing 18 vessels, five helicopters, two UAVs, and one aircraft, with a naval vessel conducting underwater explorations. Moreover, a crisis center established by Silivri’s Provincial Directorate of Disaster and Emergency Management is overseeing the recovery efforts in real time.

A recent preliminary investigation into the tragic maritime collision involving the 'Alsu' and 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' near Silivri has revealed critical insights into the disaster. Conducted shortly after the incident at 03:13 a.m., the report highlighted severe lapses in bridge discipline and a significant neglect of watchkeeping protocols, resulting in a loss of situational awareness among the crew. One of the key findings suggested that the tragic sinking of the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' could have been averted had a lookout been present on the tanker. The report detailed that the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' sank swiftly following a breach on its port side, while the 'Alsu' incurred only superficial damage with minor scrapes on its starboard side. Alarmingly, the tanker was navigating with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off and made an unexpected starboard turn within the last half mile, directly conflicting with previously agreed radio navigation plans. The inquiry attributed the primary cause of the collision to bridge-management deficiencies aboard the 'Alsu'. It was noted that adherence to the ‘Watch Condition B’ guidelines within the vessel’s safety manual (BMM) might have provided an experienced captain and an additional lookout, enabling them to detect the impending danger from the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu' turn much earlier—about 1.5 to 1.8 miles away, instead of 0.5 miles. According to COLREG Rule 8, the collision could have been prevented altogether, or at least the impact could have been minimized through immediate action, such as stopping the engines or executing an emergency maneuver. Unfortunately, the officer in charge, who was alone on the bridge at the time, failed to assess the situation adequately. VTS (Vessel Traffic Services) footage from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety revealed that there was no visual record of the 'Tuğberk İmamoğlu', yet it was detected on the radar of the ECDIS onboard the 'Alsu'. The findings underscore the pressing need for stringent bridge management practices to ensure maritime safety and prevent future incidents.