Turkish rescue teams search for 10 missing after cargo ship sinks off Istanbul

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ISTANBUL, Sept 3 — Turkish authorities continued searching on Thursday for 10 crew members missing after a cargo ship ‌sank off the coast of Istanbul following ⁠a collision with another vessel, state-owned ⁠Anadolu Agency reported.

Two Turkish-flagged commercial ‌vessels collided ‌in the Sea of Marmara off ⁠Istanbul on ⁠Wednesday. Authorities said one of the ships, carrying 10 crew members, is believed to have sunk within about 11 minutes of the ‌crash.

Search operations involving the coast guard, navy, disaster management agency and other emergency services were continuing on Thursday. Anadolu said 18 vessels, five helicopters, two drones, an aircraft and a naval vessel equipped for underwater searches ‌were being ‌deployed ⁠in the operation.

The second ship, which was not damaged in the collision, remained anchored off Silivri. An ‌investigation into the cause of the accident ‌is under ⁠way, Anadolu said.

(Reporting by Ezgi ErkoyunEditing by Ros Russell)