Sources: Shipping traffic in the Bosporus off Istanbul suspended

Istanbul: Shipping in Istanbul’s Bosphorusone of the busiest waterways in the world, was closed in both directions on Wednesday due to a towing error, according to Turkey’s General Directorate of Coastal Safety.

The General Directorate of Coastal Safety said on its website that traffic on both sides was suspended at 2 p.m. local time (11 a.m. GMT), Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition, Halk TV reported, citing a shipping agency called Tribeca, that a tugboat attempting to tow a ship at the northern Black Sea entrance to the Bosphorus had encountered a malfunction.

A technical defect prevented the tug from completing the towing operation, which led to traffic congestion in the northern part of the strait and disrupted maritime traffic, it said.

According to the broadcaster, two additional tugboats have been dispatched to the area to resolve the problem and efforts are currently underway.