Fog shuts down traffic on Bosporus Strait

ISTANBUL

Heavy fog led to a shutdown in vessel traffic in Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait in the morning of June 12, Turkish officials have said.

Marine traffic in the Bosphorus was suspended as visibility between the southern entry into the strait and the historic Maiden’s Tower was below half a mile, the Coastal Safety Directorate said in a statement.

All vessel passages were suspended as of 9:13 a.m. local Turkish time (0613GMT).

All local ferry lines in Istanbul were also suspended due to the fog.

The shutdown was lifted after 11:00 a.m. local time.

In 2017, nearly 88,000 ships traveled through Turkish straits, making it one of the world’s busiest maritime passages.