Watch: Vessel Drifts Uncontrollably & Collides With Cargo Ship Off Istanbul Coast

Two ships anchored off the coast of Kartal, Istanbul, collided after strong southwest winds caused one vessel to drift uncontrollably on November 21, 2024.

The Guinea-Bissau-flagged dry cargo ship, Marla Orca, measuring 99 meters in length and 19 meters in width, began drifting due to the strong winds, which later resulted in the collision.

The Marla Orca, which had recently completed a voyage from Egypt to the Sea of Marmara, collided with the Cameroonian-flagged vessel DSK1, measuring 116 meters in length and 13 meters in width.

The Orca was anchored off Kartal and was destined for Kroman. It dragged anchor and crashed into the vessel DSK1, which was also anchored, at around 0500 GMT.

The accident caused visible damage to both the vessels, and the crew members on board were panicked.

Video Credits: MarineDeal News/YouTube

A video footage taken by one of the crew members on a mobile phone from the vessel DSK1 was widely circulated online, showing the moment of panic at the time of the crash.

The video shows crew members alarmed as they spotted the ship approaching towards them.

After the crash, Marla Orca managed to drift free and, under its own power, repositioned to another spot within the anchorage.

Both ships remained anchored and stable as of Sunday (November 24).

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but authorities are assessing the extent of the damage and the impact on local maritime traffic.

References: AA, Ahaber

Source: Maritime Shipping News