Turkish crew members rescued after collision off Shanghai

ANKARA

Sixteen Turkish crew members were rescued after their Marshall-flagged ship collided with another vessel and sank off China’s Shanghai, the Turkish maritime authorities have announced.

A total of 21 sailors abandoned the vessel using a lifeboat following the collision with the “Mirabella” ship, according to a statement by the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry's Directorate General for Maritime on X on Jan. 24.

The announcement stated that the mariners who left the ship were successfully retrieved from the sea by the crew of the other ship, noting that their health was in good condition.

"Communication has been established with the third captain of the vessel, and coordination with our Foreign Ministry and MRCC [Maritime Rescue Coordination Center] is underway for the evacuation of the crew members from the ship," the statement added.

While authorities have not yet provided an explanation for the cause of the accident, a local media report suggested that adverse weather conditions might be the reason behind the collision.