Two oil/chemical tankers—Azerbaijan-flagged Kalbajar and Türkiye-flagged Alatepe—made contact at the Küçükçekmece anchorage off Florya (Bakırköy), Istanbul, prompting a response from Turkish maritime safety services.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure said a shore-based rescue team and the tug KURTARMA-9 were dispatched due to the vessels’ proximity to the coast, adding in a short statement carried by local media: “…kara tahlisiye (can kurtarma) ekibimiz ve KURTARMA-9 römorkörümüz olay yerine ivedilikle yönlendirildi.”
A separate account from Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC (ASCO) said strong winds at the anchorage caused Kalbajar’s anchor chain to become entangled in Alatepe’s propeller, and said Kalbajar was not carrying cargo at the time and that the crew was safe.
Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC (ASCO) is a state-owned closed joint-stock company that operates merchant and offshore support fleets and shipyards in Azerbaijan.