A cargo ship with 13 crew onboard went missing off the Black Sea coast of Istanbul's Şile district Wednesday. Coastguard units reportedly managed to recover four bodies and continue their air and ground-supported search operations, which started around 5:00 a.m. local time.
The 78-meter-long vessel named Bilal Bal was carrying 3,080 tons of iron ore from the Marmara port of Gemlik in the Bursa province to the Black Sea port of Ereğli in Zonguldak.
Media sources reported that empty boats and life buoys were spotted near the scene.
The ship, registered to DEMSA shipping, was built in 1974. All of the crew were Turkish nationals.
