Turkish cargo ship with 12 crew members sinks in storm

The Turkish bulk carrier Kafkametler with 12 crew members on board sank after hitting a breakwater near the port of Eregli off the coast of Zonguldak province in northern Türkiye, country's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ali Yerlikaya, said in a post on the social network X.

"Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the bulk carrier Kafkametler under the Turkish flag, sailing to Izmir, began to drift and sank after hitting a breakwater. Contact with the 12 crew members, Turkish citizens, has not yet been established. Coast Guard, Navy, Emergency Management and others services are on standby. As soon as weather conditions improve, search and rescue operations will begin," the minister said.

On Sunday, when approaching the port, captain of Kafkametler gave a signal that the ship was drifting towards the breakwater. Communication with the ship, including visual communication, could not be established, and search and rescue operations were impossible due to bad weather conditions. The cargo ship was traveling from the port of Temryuk in the Krasnodar region to the Turkish port of Aliaga in Izmir.