Traffic in Istanbul Strait suspended as cargo ship malfunctions

By Muhammed Gencebay Gur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The traffic in the Istanbul Strait was temporarily suspended on Saturday night when a Spain-bound cargo ship malfunctioned, authorities said.

According to a statement from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety, the Bahamian-flagged ship "SOPHIA Z" suffered a steering malfunction near the Umuryeri region.

Rescue tugs, a coast guard boat and divers were dispatched to the scene.

The 190-meter-long (623-feet-long) cargo ship was sailing from Bulgaria to Spain.

The statement said the vessel traffic in the Istanbul Strait has been temporarily suspended in both directions.