Ship runs aground en route to Russia: Çanakkale Strait traffic halted

Maritime traffic in Turkey's vital Çanakkale Strait has been suspended in both directions after a cargo ship ran aground. The vessel, identified as the San Marino-flagged PILATUS MARINE, was en route from Syria to Russia when it experienced engine failure near the Nara turn, causing it to drift and become stranded.

The Turkish Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced the incident, stating that the General Directorate of Coastal Safety's tugboats were immediately dispatched to the scene. Divers have been deployed to assess the ship's condition and determine the extent of any damage, which will precede a salvage operation.

The grounding has necessitated a temporary halt to all vessel passage through the Çanakkale Strait, a critical waterway connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Authorities are working to resolve the situation and resume normal traffic as quickly as possible.

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The San Marino-flagged PILATUS MARINE, carrying bulk cargo from Syria to Russia, ran aground due to engine failure on the Nara turn of the Çanakkale Strait. Following the incident, tugboats belonging to our General Directorate of Coastal Safety quickly reached the ship. Our divers have taken action to determine the ship's condition by diving, and a damage assessment and rescue operation will follow. Due to this incident, Çanakkale Strait ship traffic has been temporarily suspended in both directions.