ANKARA - A diesel oil-laden tanker ran aground early Friday in the Dardanelles Strait, forcing Turkish authorities to shut the narrow waterway to maritime traffic, the Anatolia news agency reported.
The 189-meter Chinook, registered in the Cayman Islands, lost its rudder while sailing through one of the narrowest points of the Dardanelles, which, with the Bosphorus, links the Black Sea to the Aegean.
The vessel, en route from the Ukraine to Italy, drifted out of control for some time before it was beached by the coastal pilot on board as it was about to crash into a dock in Kilitbahir, on the historical Gallipoli peninsula.
Officials from the local maritime traffic agency told Anatolia that divers who inspected the ship after the accident found no signs of leaking.
They said rescue teams were ready to help but the Chinook's captain had so far not sought any assistance.
Increasing traffic through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles of oil and gas tankers has forced Turkey to step up safety measures and impose restrictions, which drew protests from several countries, particularly Russia.
The two waterways, among the busiest in the world, form the only outlet for Black Sea countries to the Mediterranean and beyond.
04/22/2005 09:42 GMT