The bulk carrier BYB OTHELLO ran aground near Istanbul due to engine failure, prompting a successful crew evacuation amid severe weather.
While en route from Kocaeli to Ukraine's Izmail Port, the bulk carrier BYB OTHELLO, flagged under Saint Kitts and Nevis, experienced a machinery failure and ran aground at the Black Sea exit of the Istanbul Strait. Due to severe weather conditions, a maritime intervention was not possible, and the 13 crew members on board were evacuated to shore using a traditional salvage system established by the Coast Guard teams.
The maritime accident occurred on the morning of November 6, 2026, at the northern exit of the Istanbul Strait, where the 97-meter-long bulk carrier BYB OTHELLO ran aground due to machinery failure off the coast of Anadolu Feneri.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the first distress call from the vessel, which was en route from Kocaeli to Ukraine's Izmail Port, was received at 02:41. The General Directorate of Coastal Safety (KEGM) dispatched the tugboats KURTARMA-6 and KURTARMA-11, along with the BAYRAK-1 boat, to the scene following the report.
However, the severe winds and heavy sea conditions in the area made it difficult for the rescue teams to approach the vessel from the sea. The vessel, which had experienced a machinery failure, ran aground at 03:56.
As maritime rescue from the sea was not possible, a salvage system was established. Upon the captain's request for evacuation, the land evacuation teams of the Coast Guard were mobilized.
Due to the unsafe conditions for a maritime intervention, it was decided to establish a traditional salvage system between the vessel and the shore to bring the crew ashore.
With the system established at 06:12, the first sailor was evacuated at 06:28. As a result of the rescue efforts, all 13 personnel on board were safely brought ashore by 06:55.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that there were no adverse health conditions reported among the rescued personnel.
No marine pollution was detected. In the initial assessments made by the ministry, it was reported that no visible marine pollution was detected around the grounded vessel.
Following the accident, the process of rescue and technical evaluation in the area where the vessel ran aground was brought to the agenda, but no confirmed operational outcome regarding the refloating of the vessel has been announced.
International press draws attention to the vessel's inspection history. The international maritime publication The Maritime Executive, which reported on the accident, also highlighted the deficiencies identified during previous port state inspections of the BYB OTHELLO.
According to the report, the vessel underwent six port state controls in the last 17 months, during which a total of 90 deficiencies were recorded.
In the most recent inspection conducted about a week and a half ago, 17 deficiencies were identified. These included issues related to the vessel's hull and structural condition, lifeboat regulations, and fire safety.
However, there has been no technical examination result announced that directly connects these inspection findings to the machinery failure that occurred on November 6.
Technical specifications of the vessel: Built in 2008, the BYB OTHELLO has a carrying capacity of approximately 5,000 DWT and a length of 97 meters. The vessel, flagged under Saint Kitts and Nevis, is identified as Turkish-owned in the international maritime press.
In the accident at the Black Sea entrance of the Istanbul Strait, there were no casualties or injuries, and the successful rescue operation conducted under severe weather conditions ensured the safe evacuation of all 13 crew members.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
