A crew member lost their life, and two others were hospitalized, following a toxic leak on board the newly built tanker Swanlake off Istanbul on Wednesday evening.
According to Turkish authorities, the incident occurred in a refrigerated cargo hold on the Panama-flagged 8,300 dwt ship, which was delivered in 2025. The identity of the toxic substance involved has not yet been made public, writes TradeWinds.
The ship was located about two nautical miles south of Demokrasi ve Ozgurlukler Adasi in the Sea of Marmara when the alarm sounded. Rescue teams, coast guard, and medical teams were dispatched to the site. Two crew members – all Russian citizens – remain under medical observation, while the other ten were evacuated.
The accident led to the tanker’s chief officer being detained while authorities investigate the incident, writes Maritime Executive.
The tanker’s only port state control inspection took place in Izmir in October, where two deficiencies related to fire drills and the fire detection and alarm system were recorded.
According to registers, Swanlake is managed by the Turkish company AAI Shipping, established in 2023. On Friday, the ship was anchored off the Tuzla shipyard area. Details about the cargo have not yet been released.
-emte
