New details in the Silivri ship collision investigation! Radio communications added to the file

In the investigation launched into the ship collision that occurred off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara, the voyage records, digital data, and radio communications of the two ships have been placed under review. As part of the investigation conducted by the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, numerous documents and records have been requested from relevant institutions and companies to determine how the incident occurred.

The accident took place on the morning of September 1, 18 miles south of the Silivri coast. The 90-meter-long Turkish-flagged commercial ship named Alsu, which was traveling from Kocaeli to Aliağa, collided with the commercial ship named Tuğberk İmamoğlu, which was sailing from the Port of İskenderun to Karadeniz Ereğli. While it was reported that contact was lost with the 10 personnel on board the Tuğberk İmamoğlu following the collision, search and rescue operations by teams from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety and the Coast Guard Command are ongoing.

RECORDS AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS REQUESTED

Within the scope of the investigation, information regarding the shipowners and operating companies of both vessels, as well as company officials, has been obtained. Instructions were issued to collect records, documents, and digital data from the relevant companies to clarify the incident.

It was requested that the voyage, route, and maneuvering information; bridge and engine records; VDR, ECDIS, AIS/GPS data; logbooks and maneuvering journals; voyage plan; crew and shift schedules; ship and class certificates; and cargo records of the Alsu ship be preserved. Additionally, it was requested that any photographs and video recordings related to the incident be added to the file.

Registration documents, certificates, class documents, port state control reports, and the administrative investigation file for both ships were requested from the Istanbul Regional Port Authority. The General Directorate of Coastal Safety was also asked to submit VHF/radio communications covering the 12 hours prior to the incident, communications between the ships and Vessel Traffic Services, as well as radar, route, movement, and maneuvering records.

It was noted that some radio communications, allegedly made between the ship captains after the accident, have been published in the media and open sources. It was learned that these records have not reached the file through official channels, and that the relevant records are being sought to obtain the original and complete versions of the conversations. It was reported that the radio communications made between Coast Guard units and the Alsu ship after the incident have been included in the file and documented.

Experts in the fields of ship captaincy and naval architecture were appointed to prepare a preliminary report on the status of fault. It was stated that the experts have been provided with transport to the region to conduct an inspection on the Alsu ship, which is being towed to the port in Silivri, and at the scene of the accident.

The water depth in the area where the Tuğberk İmamoğlu ship sank is estimated to be between approximately 800 and 1100 meters. For this reason, coordination is ongoing to determine the technical capabilities required to work at that depth in order to locate the ship and the wreckage area, conduct a seabed survey, and recover evidence.

On the other hand, it was determined that pollution has begun to form on the sea surface in the area where the Tuğberk İmamoğlu sank. Instructions were given to conduct research and examinations regarding health and environmental measures to determine the nature, source, and spread of the pollution, and to evaluate the risks it may pose to the environment and human health.