14.10.2026 16:45
The Liberian-flagged commercial ship, whose line broke due to a storm while it was being towed off the coast of Çatalca, drifted and ran aground on the shore of Çilingöz Nature Park. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the ship, which was found to have no crew.
Recently, the Liberia-flagged commercial ship named 'GRACE ROMAVICTOR', which was learned to have been hit in Russia and to have no crew aboard, set out on October 12 to be towed toward Igneada Port by the Cameroon-flagged tugboat named 'ATHLETIC' in order to be taken to a safe area.
THE TOWLINE SNAPPED, IT DRIFTED
When the ship reached off Catalca, it broke its towline due to the storm and giant waves. The tugboat captain, who had difficulty making progress, contacted Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and reported that he would take shelter in Igneada. After the line snapped, the giant ship drifted and ran aground at a point near the Cilingoz Nature Park shore.
WORK HAS BEGUN
Following a report received at 13:33, Coast Guard teams were rapidly dispatched to the area. In the teams' inspections around the ship and on the sea surface, no fuel leakage or environmental pollution was found. While it was learned that the ship was completely empty, teams from the Istanbul Regional Port Authority launched work to salvage the grounded ship and remove it from the area.