As of: 03/26/2022 4:24 p.m
Turkey largely suspended shipping on the Bosphorus for several hours after discovering a sea mine. Where the mine comes from is unclear. The authorities contacted the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
According to the Turkish military, a sea mine floating off the Black Sea coast of Istanbul exploded in a controlled manner. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar says it was an older type mine. He is therefore in contact with Russian and Ukrainian authorities.
Locked for several hours
After the discovery, the Bosphorus was closed to north-south traffic – and thus to large merchant ships – for several hours. According to Turkish authorities, traffic resumed after around four hours.
Last week Moscow warned of drifting sea mines in the Black Sea. There was initially no information as to whether there was a connection in this case. Akar was also quoted as saying that Turkey is in contact with the Ukrainian and Russian sides on the matter.
Experts warned of danger for Istanbul
The Turkish Defense Ministry initially stated that a “mine-like object” floating in the water had been discovered north of Istanbul. Turkish media showed images and videos of a dark round object on the water surface in the northern part of the Bosphorus at the exit to the Black Sea.
Ships had meanwhile been asked to stop at both entrances to the strait, as an official from the Directorate for Coastal Safety told the dpa news agency.
Experts warn that if a gas or oil tanker collides with a mine, there is a great danger for Istanbul and an environmental catastrophe.
Important thoroughfare for merchant ships
The Bosphorus is an important thoroughfare for merchant ships, connecting the Mediterranean and Black Seas. According to Turkish authorities, an average of more than 40,000 ships pass through it every year.
The Russian domestic secret service FSB had warned that the Ukrainian navy had mined the ports of Odessa, Ochakiv, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny. Some of the anchored sea mines would have torn loose in the storm. In the worst case, they could drift through the Turkish straits into the Mediterranean. Ukraine denies laying sea mines.
conflicting parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian portal BlackSeaNews, which specializes in shipping, reported that the Russian Black Sea Fleet laid the sea mines on the route between Odessa and the Bosphorus. There was no independent confirmation of this.
Since the Russian attack on February 24, shipping in the north-western part of the Black Sea has been forced to stand still. Little traffic can be seen off the coasts of EU and NATO members Romania and Bulgaria.
With information from Karin Senz, ARD Studio Istanbul
Bosphorus temporarily closed due to mine alert
Karin Senz, ARD Istanbul, 26.3.2022 3:10 p.m