Seven crew safe after tug collides with vessel it was towing

Seven Turkish sailors were brought to safety after their tug hit the vessel it was towing in the Black Sea off Romania, prompting a search and rescue operation in difficult weather conditions.

The Turkish-flagged tug Ayaz Bey issued a Mayday distress call at about 4:20 on 4 November after the collision near Neptun, a seaside resort on Romania’s Black Sea coast.

The incident involved the unmanned Antigua and Barbuda-flagged vessel Mentor, which was being towed towards Turkey by Ayaz Bey and a second tug, Ramazan Bey. The tanker had been damaged in Ukrainian waters near Odesa and had no crew on board.

According to the Romanian Naval Authority’s account, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Constanța was alerted at 23:20 on 3 November after the towline parted, leaving Mentor temporarily adrift. The line was reconnected, but Ayaz Bey then had technical problems with its propulsion system before colliding with the vessel under tow.

Three crew members were taken aboard the Dutch-flagged tug Odin for transfer to the port of Mangalia, while the other four initially refused to be evacuated, saying they did not require assistance.

Romania’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) said the tug had been in danger of sinking, yet a subsequent update from the Romanian Naval Authority, reported by Romanian public broadcaster TVR Info, said all seven crew members were safe, with no casualties, and that Ayaz Bey had been stabilised and anchored at Mangalia.

Romanian rescue resources included two vessels from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one from the Border Police Coast Guard and another from the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, as well as the SAR vessel Ares from the Romanian Agency for the Rescue of Human Life at Sea (ARSVOM). The operation was coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

The MAI said strong winds and very rough seas made the response particularly difficult and prevented the use of aircraft.

Ayaz Bey is listed in the fleet of Turkish towage company PGE Tugs. The Turkish Chamber of Shipping identifies PGE Denizcilik Ticaret Limited Şirketi as the tug’s registered owner. Built in 1981, the 317gt tug has a stated bollard pull of 30 tonnes.