Body Count Rises to Four in Bilal Bal Sinking

Turkish Coast Guard Another body of the crew of the sunken cargo ship Bilal Bal has been recovered, bringing the total body count to four, according to the Turkish Coast Guard. The authorities are continuing their search efforts for the remaining six seafarers who were reported missing after the 2,999 dwt ship sank on November 1 some seven nautical miles off the coast of Şile, Istanbul, shortly after sending out a distress signal. After the wreck was discovered at a water depth of 88 meters, the coast guard started diving missions to search for the missing crew. On November 3, divers managed to locate the bodies of two crewmembers. At the time of the incident, the 1974-built Bilal Bal was crewed by ten Turkish seafarers. The ship was sailing from Turkeys port of Gemlik to the port of Ereğli, carrying a cargo of cast iron, when it ran into trouble due to unknown circumstances. Relevant authorities launched an investigation into the sinking. World Maritime News Staff