A 241-meter-long tanker named ‘Hera 1’ with the flag of the Comoros, traveling from Russia to India, experienced an engine failure in the early hours of the morning at the Zincirbozan location in the Dardanelles Strait.
The captain of the drifting vessel reported the situation to the Directorate of Dardanelles Strait Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) via radio. Following this, the Coastal Safety Directorate dispatched the ‘Rescue-15’ and ‘Rescue-3’ tugboats to the area. Other vessels in the vicinity were also informed about the incident.
The malfunctioning tanker was towed to the Şevketiye Anchorage with the assistance of the tugboats. The incident caused temporary disruption in the maritime traffic in the Dardanelles Strait.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the engine failure and assessing the potential environmental impact of the incident. No injuries or casualties have been reported among the crew members on board the tanker.
The vessel is expected to undergo repairs at the anchorage before being able to resume its journey. Meanwhile, maritime traffic in the Dardanelles is expected to return to normal as the situation is successfully managed by the relevant authorities.
