Dardanelles Strait closed after oil tanker engine failure

Maritime traffic through the Dardanelles Strait has been temporarily suspended in both directions following a technical malfunction on the oil tanker Zephyr Prosper, which was en route from Russia to the port of Kocaeli in Turkiye under the flag of Barbados, AzerNEWS reports.

According to Turkiye’s Coast Guard Command, the incident occurred after the vessel suffered an engine failure near Kilitbahir while transiting the strait. As a precautionary measure, navigation in both directions was halted to ensure maritime safety.

“The Zephyr Prosper, a 274-meter-long tanker traveling from Russia to Kocaeli, experienced an engine breakdown near Kilitbahir in the Dardanelles. Our three tugboats have been dispatched to assist the vessel,” the Coast Guard said in a statement. “For safety reasons, maritime traffic in the strait has been temporarily suspended in both directions.”

Open-source data indicates that the Zephyr Prosper was built in 2004. The vessel measures 274.2 meters in length, 48 meters in width, and has a deadweight tonnage of approximately 150,000 tons.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation, and efforts are underway to safely secure and tow the tanker.