The tumultuous storms sweeping across Turkey’s Black Sea region have brought a desperate search-and-rescue mission to a standstill. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya disclosed the harrowing situation involving the Turkish-flagged Kafkametler, which tragically sank near Eregli, approximately 200 kilometers east of Istanbul. This disaster occurred after the ship collided with a breakwater just outside the harbor.
Yerlikaya, addressing the media, shared the distressing news that the severe weather has thwarted efforts to find the 12 Turkish crew members on board. He affirmed that rescue teams are primed to commence operations as soon as the weather permits. Tragically, recent updates have shed light on the grim reality: the ship’s cook has been found deceased, leaving 11 crew members still unaccounted for.
But the Kafkametler’s fate isn’t an isolated incident in this storm. Another cargo vessel, the Cameroon-flagged Pallada, also fell victim to the tempest, breaking in two near Eregli amid towering 5-meter waves. Fortunately, in this instance, all 13 crew members were rescued without harm.
The repercussions of the storm extended beyond maritime disasters. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc reported that inmates from Eregli’s prison had to be relocated to other facilities due to rising water levels, underscoring the widespread impact of the storm.
Turkey’s southeastern regions weren’t spared either. In Diyarbakir and Batman provinces, torrential rains led to fatal floods, claiming two lives and injuring around 50 people, according to Yerlikaya’s updates.
Across the border in Bulgaria, the storm continued its path of destruction. Gale-force winds accompanied by heavy rain and snow caused fatalities, power outages, and led to a declared state of emergency in the Black Sea city of Varna. The relentless weather has thus painted a picture of chaos and tragedy across this swath of Eastern Europe.
