Turkish tugboat Ayaz Bey sustained damage while transporting an emergency vessel
In the Black Sea near the Romanian town of Neptun, the Turkish tugboat Ayaz Bey collided with the Mentor vessel it was towing. The incident created a risk of sinking, prompting Romanian special services to launch a rescue operation for the seven crew members. This was reported by Mediafax citing Ministerul Afacerilor Interne, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The incident occurred on November 4, 2026, during an operation to relocate the damaged vessel Mentor, which had previously sustained damage near the Ukrainian port of Odesa. The ship was being transported to Turkey with no crew on board.
Circumstances of the maritime accident
As reported by the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs, towing cables snapped during the night transit due to adverse weather conditions. Despite the crew’s attempts to re-establish the connection, the tugboat Ayaz Bey struck the unmanned vessel Mentor, resulting in a threat of sinking.
Rescue mission
To assist the seven Turkish citizens on board the tugboat, forces from the coast guard, border police, and ARSVOM rescue teams were mobilized. Coordination of the efforts is being managed by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC).
At this time, three crew members have been evacuated to the Dutch vessel Odin and are en route to the port of Mangalia. The remaining four sailors have refused evacuation, and the Ayaz Bey tugboat is currently anchored.
Illustrative photo: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994 / Public domain
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