Four Indian sailors return to land after 10 months on abandoned ship off Istanbul
Fatma Aksu - ISTANBUL
Four Indian sailors stranded aboard an abandoned ship off Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu coast for nearly 10 months finally returned to shore after Turkish authorities intervened to end the prolonged ordeal.
The Mongolia-flagged AZRA C had been anchored in the Marmara Sea since August 2025 due to technical problems. Its fate became uncertain after Turkish authorities arrested five people, including the ship’s owner, on Jan. 17 as part of an investigation linked to Spain’s seizure of 10 tons of cocaine aboard the cargo ship UNITED S near the Canary Islands earlier that month.
With its owners detained, AZRA C was left abandoned and could not be operated. Because of its classification and potential safety risks, the vessel could not be taken into port. International maritime regulations also required a minimum crew to remain on board at all times to respond to emergencies, preventing four crew members from leaving the ship.
