Ship traffic in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait partially resumes

By Xinhua Published: Jul 11, 2024 10:17 AM

A drone photo taken on July 10, 2024 shows the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Türkiye. Ship traffic in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait has partially resumed following a temporary suspension caused by an engine failure on a ship earlier on Wednesday, according to Türkiye's Directorate General of Coastal Safety. (Photo: Xinhua)

This photo taken on July 10, 2024 shows the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Türkiye. Ship traffic in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait has partially resumed following a temporary suspension caused by an engine failure on a ship earlier on Wednesday, according to Türkiye's Directorate General of Coastal Safety. (Photo: Xinhua)

Ship traffic in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait has partially resumed following a temporary suspension caused by an engine failure on a ship earlier on Wednesday, according to Türkiye's Directorate General of Coastal Safety.

The Ihlas news agency broadcasted a video depicting the ship being escorted by rescue tugboats as it exited the Marmara Sea through the strait.

The directorate's website, which tracks ship traffic on the Bosphorus Strait, indicated that traffic has resumed in the south-north direction, while the north-south route will remain closed until midnight.

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported earlier in the day that ship traffic was halted in both directions due to a machine failure on a ship named Lionfish.

Local media reported that a tugboat attempting to tow the ship had also experienced a malfunction, leading to the interruption of the towing process at the northern Black Sea entrance of the Bosphorus.

Connecting the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea, the 30-kilometer-long Bosphorus Strait is one of the busiest waterways in the world.