Cargo ship keels over at Istanbul port

ISTANBUL

A dry cargo vessel keeled over at one of Istanbul's primary ports on Dec. 23, prompting the evacuation and rescue of its crew, local media has reported.

The incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. at Ambarlı Port in the Beylikdüzü district, involving the Comoros-flagged dry cargo ship ANMAH.

The vessel's listing was attributed to improper load distribution. Of the 15 crew members onboard, 10 were rescued by emergency teams, while five others managed to swim ashore unaided.

One individual sustained minor injuries and was subsequently transported to a hospital for medical care.

The vessel's perimeter was cordoned off with floating barriers to mitigate the risk of maritime pollution, with local media footage revealing dozens of containers plunging into the sea.

Rescue operations are ongoing under the supervision of the port authority, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said.

This incident follows a similar mishap nearly a month ago at Mersin, another key commercial port, where an 89-meter cargo ship also capsized.

The Ambarlı Port holds the distinction of being Türkiye’s largest port in terms of container volume and the fifth-largest by cargo tonnage. It is one of the few ports in the country capable of accommodating vessels exceeding 300 meters in length. Operational since 1994, it is also Istanbul's inaugural privately-owned port.