\n<\/p>\n
ISTANBUL:<\/strong> Dramatic underwater images released by the Turkish Navy have revealed a large breach in the hull of the cargo ship Tu\u011fberk \u0130mamo\u011flu<\/strong>, which sank off Istanbul after colliding with an empty oil tanker.<\/p>\n The wreck was located at a depth of approximately 710 metres<\/strong>, around 18 nautical miles, or 33 kilometres, south of Silivri.<\/p>\n The Turkish Navy\u2019s rescue and towing vessel TCG Ak\u0131n<\/strong> located the shipwreck, with an underwater robot capturing images and video of the vessel.<\/p>\n Istanbul Governor Davut G\u00fcl<\/strong> visited the naval vessel on Saturday and was shown footage from the operation.<\/p>\n A naval officer said the remotely operated underwater vehicle captured four images around the bow and video of the ship\u2019s middle section, where the extensive hull breach could clearly be seen.<\/p>\n Authorities have not yet determined whether the breach was caused directly by the collision or occurred as the vessel sank.<\/p>\n The Tu\u011fberk \u0130mamo\u011flu was carrying around 4,199 tonnes of rolled steel and reinforcing bar<\/strong> when it collided with the empty oil tanker ALSU<\/strong> shortly after 3 a.m. on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The cargo ship reportedly sank in just 11 minutes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n By Saturday, rescuers had still found no trace of the ship\u2019s 10 Turkish crew members<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe families now want to know whether the crew is still inside and how they will be recovered,\u201d Governor G\u00fcl said.<\/p>\n The vessel has no reported connection to Ekrem \u0130mamo\u011flu<\/strong>, Istanbul\u2019s jailed opposition mayor. Maritime records identify Zeybe Shipping and Trading Ltd. as the ship\u2019s owner and manager.<\/p>\n A preliminary marine accident report prepared for prosecutors has identified several safety failures aboard the ALSU and described them as the main cause of the collision, according to a copy reviewed by Agence France Presse.<\/p>\n The report found that there was no helmsman or lookout on the tanker\u2019s bridge<\/strong> at the time of the accident.<\/p>\n The tanker\u2019s captain was reportedly asleep in his cabin, leaving a third officer, who had only recently joined the vessel, alone on watch.<\/p>\n Investigators also found that the Tu\u011fberk \u0130mamo\u011flu\u2019s Automatic Identification System<\/strong>, which broadcasts a vessel\u2019s identity and position to nearby ships, was not functioning.<\/p>\n The report said the cargo ship turned across the tanker\u2019s bow shortly before the impact.<\/p>\n A Turkish court has jailed the ALSU\u2019s captain and third officer pending trial on charges related to negligent homicide.<\/p>\n Prosecutors in Silivri are continuing to investigate the deadly collision as authorities face mounting pressure to determine what happened to the missing crew and whether their bodies remain trapped inside the wreck.<\/p>\n Source: Agence France Presse, via Turkish Minute<\/strong><\/p>\nTen crew members remain missing<\/h3>\n
Investigation points to serious safety failures<\/h3>\n