VZCZCXRO5929
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHIT #0188 1491425
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291425Z MAY 09
FM AMCONSUL ISTANBUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8983
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 8264
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA PRIORITY 2397
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000188 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON TU
SUBJECT:   RO-RO SHIP RUNS AGROUND ON THE BOSPHORUS 
 
SUMMARY 
 
¶1.    (U)   On May 28 a roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ship loaded 
with lumber en route to Istanbul from Burgas, Bulgaria ran 
aground in Yenikoy, Istanbul.  Miraculously, no one was 
injured and only minor damage was done to a yali (seaside 
mansion).  (End summary). 
 
¶2.    (U)   News reports indicated that the rudders of The 
Ella J malfunctioned as the southbound ship was approaching 
Yenikoy on the European side of the Bosphorus, an area where 
the Straits make a sharp turn.  The ship drifted to the shore 
and stopped just before crashing into a yali owned by well 
known actress Oya Basar.  Initial reports indicate that no 
one was injured, and property damage was remarkably light. 
 
¶3.     (U)   The Ella J is a 150-meter cargo ship with 
deadweight of 7200 tons, and is flagged to St. Vincent and 
Grenadines.  The Ro-Ro, which was conveying lumber products 
from Burgas, Bulgaria to Istanbul, apparently lost control in 
clear weather.  The following morning, Turkish Coast Security 
vessels were still attempting to dislodge the grounded sea 
craft and float it out to sea. 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶4.     (U)   The Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea to 
the Sea of Marmara and is approximately 19 miles long, has 
two dangerous turning points, one of which is the site of 
yesterday's accident (the other is farther north, near 
Buyukdere).  Presumably the Ella J was using a pilot boat, 
since Turkey requires this of all vessels that will call on a 
Turkish port.  As events proved, however, a pilot boat is of 
little use when a large ship experiences a serious mechanical 
malfunction, and yesterday's mishap will surely not be the 
last in a long line of Bosphorus traffic accidents that have 
occurred over the years.  (End comment). 
OUDKIRK