Russian?navy?ship collides with vessel off Turkey's Black Sea coast, 78 soldiers rescued
Russian military ship collides with vessel in Black sea
A Russian military ship collided with a vessel off Turkey's Black Sea coast
A Russian navyreconnaissance shipcollided with a vessel carrying livestock off Turkey's Black Sea coast on Thursday, broadcaster NTV reported. Initial reports said 45Russiansoldiers were rescued while 15 were missing. Later,Turkey's coastal safety authority said all 78 soldiers were rescued even as the ship sunk in the Black Sea.
NTV said the coast guard and emergency teams had been dispatched to the site, 18 miles (29 km) from Kilyos village, on the Black Sea coast just north of Istanbul.
"All 78 crew members of a Russian navy vessel have been rescued," Turkish transport minister Ahmet Arslan said.
The minister said the navy ship sank after the collision which was caused by fog and poor weather. The other vessel only suffered minor damage.
"Russian personnel would be returned to Russian authorities," the minister added.
The research ship Liman "sustained a hull breach due to a collision" with the ship Ashot-7, 40 kilometres (25 miles) north-west of the Bosphorus Strait, the Russian defence ministry informed earlier.
(WION with agency inputs)