Container ship runs aground near villas in Bosphorus Turkish Coast Guard Command reports

A Turkish-flagged container ship, Kappa, ran aground in the Bosphorus just meters from residential villas after drifting toward the shoreline in Istanbul, authorities said.

According to the Turkish Coast Guard Command (TCGC), the 148-meter vessel was en route from Russia to the Turkish port of Kocaeli and was transiting the strait under the guidance of a Turkish pilot.

The ship began drifting around midnight, with the cause of the incident still under investigation. Carried by strong currents, the vessel was pushed toward the shore in Yenikoy, an area lined with low-rise villas and waterfront mansions. Its bow came to loom directly over the seaside promenade.

The vessel ultimately ran aground in shallow waters, which prevented it from striking nearby buildings or damaging coastal infrastructure.

Emergency response teams spent approximately six hours inspecting the ship, after which it was successfully refloated and towed to an anchorage.

Maritime traffic through the Bosphorus Strait was temporarily restricted during nighttime operations. The Coast Guard later announced that transit resumed at 07:50.

By Tamilla Hasanova