REVISES DECK, UPDATES THROUGHOUT WITH SUNK VESSEL LOCATED
By Aysenur Saglam
ANKARA (AA) – A Turkish cargo vessel which sank in the Black Sea seven miles off Sile, Istanbul early Wednesday has been located, the Coast Guard Marmara and Bosphorus Regional Command announced.
Naval Forces Command ship the TCG Alemdar used its sonar to locate the missing vessel, which sank at a depth of 88 meters with 10 crew members on board.
Search and rescue efforts to find the crew are still ongoing, according to the regional command.
The Bilal Bal, a nearly 80-meter-long vessel, sent out a distress call in the morning while transporting iron ore from the port of Marmara in the northwestern Bursa's Gemlik district to the northern Black Sea port of Eregli, Zonguldak, the Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications Ministry announced this morning.
“Search and rescue efforts are ongoing jointly by the Coast Guard Command, Coastal Safety Directorate General, and Naval Forces Command,” said a ministry statement.
Taking part in the efforts are a coast guard aircraft, a helicopter, two Coast Guard Command boats, five Coastal Safety Directorate General rescue boats, and a submarine, the statement said.
It also said that a life buoy, life raft, lifeboat and a rubber rescue boat belonging to the Bilal Bal had been found.
