Turkey: Straits traffic at mercy of bad weather

By Cigdem Munibe Alyanak and Metin Tokgoz

ISTANBUL (AA) – A Russian naval cruiser had to cast anchor due to strong currents and bad weather in Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait on Monday, according to a Turkish security source.

The Slava-class Marshal Ustinov anchored off the neighborhood of Moda, on Istanbul’s Asian side, since conditions did not allow for it to dock, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Three Coastal Safety Directorate tugboats accompanied the Marshal Ustinov during its trip.

Earlier, state meteorologists warned of heavy precipitation across much of Turkey, and a strong northeaster in the western Canakkale province -- leading into the Istanbul Straits -- hindering marine transportation.

Six containers reportedly fell off a ship off Canakkale’s Bozcaada district, and ferry services between Canakkale and Kilitbahir on the coast of the Dardanelles were temporarily suspended.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar

*Burak Akay and Sezgin Pancar contributed to the story