On the early morning hours of December 23, the 101 meter long, 5,215 dwt container ship Amnah (IMO: 9126259) capsized and sunk in the Sea of Marmara while berthed at the port of Ambarli in Istanbul, Turkey. The Amnah had ben loading containers when it lost stability and developed a heavy port list. As the cargo shifted, the vessel struck the dock and rolled over. Five of the 15 crew on board the container ship had to jump into the sea as the vessel rolled. Reports state the other 10 crew and dock workers were able to abandon the vessel. One crew member sustained minor injuries and taken to hospital for treatment.
The Amnah has sustained damage, but the full extent will not be known until the container ship can be refloated. Authorities have placed booms around the Amnah to contain any pollution released. Reports state several containers have broken free and many have filled with water and sank.
Officials have launched an investigation into the incident. They believe the vessel was improperly loaded and did not maintain proper ballasting which resulted in the lost of stability.
