One killed in tanker blast off Istanbul coast

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

CİHAN Photo

A Turkish-flagged chemical tanker sailing along the Marmara coast burst Jan. 20, careening the 101-meters long ship off Pendik docks in Istanbul’s Asian side.

An 34-year-old man, identifed as Mehmet Karan, was killed in the blast, while four people have been injured, according to reports. The rest of the personnel, 10 people, were evacuated from the ship.

Turkish Coast Guards said the vessel named “Tıbıl” was empty.

“Six swift rescue boats and two towing boats have been sent to the scene, following the notification that an explosion occurred in the Turkish-flagged chemical tanker Tıbıl,” the coast guards said in a statement.

Smoke was seen rising from the ship as it was intercepted by the rescue boats.

The captain, the second captain and another official reportedly returned to the ship for a further investigation. The ship will be transferred to the Tuzla Shipyard.

Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait is among waterways with the most intense tanker traffic in the world.