A preliminary expert report into the collision off Silivri says staffing arrangements and inexperience aboard the Alsu contributed to the incident. The vessel’s sole bridge watch officer had joined the ship just one day earlier and was working his first watch on board.
Officer left alone on bridge
According to Turkish media reports, the only person on the bridge at the time of the collision was second officer Murat Evcimen, also described as the third captain.
The preliminary report said leaving the vessel in the care of an officer who was unfamiliar with the Alsu while sailing through heavily trafficked waters constituted a serious weakness.
It also highlighted the absence of both a lookout and a helmsman, noting that Evcimen had been left entirely alone.
Everyone else on board was reportedly resting in their cabins at the time, reducing situational awareness on the bridge.
Captain reached bridge minutes later
The report said Captain Ahmet Erarslan was not on the bridge when the collision occurred and was asleep in his cabin.
He was awakened by the impact and reached the bridge at around 3.20am, approximately seven to 10 minutes after the collision.
The captain reportedly claimed that he was authorised to operate without a lookout in open waters. However, the report found that this was contrary to the vessel’s rules and identified it as an operational failure.
Source: CNA
