Independenta Tanker Explosion in the Bosphorus

carrying 96 thousand tons of crude oil on November 15, 1979. Romanian tanker Independenta and Greek ship Evriali, collided off the coast of Haydarpaşa. This tragic incident took its place in the pages of history as one of the most terrible accidents recorded in the Bosphorus.

The fireball that rose as a result of the collision turned the sky into an inferno. 43 crew members inside the tanker lost their lives in those terrible moments; Cries of despair echoed in the waters of the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus was engulfed in flames after this tragic incident. It is said that 7 people from the crew of the Greek ship Evriali died.

These waters, which had been flowing peacefully for centuries, had become the symbol of pain and disaster. Buildings on the beach were caught in the flames; The sky was covered with smoke. The sea, once lively and enthusiastic, was filled with silent screams.

The Independenta tanker disaster was one of the darkest memories in the Bosphorus.

Taken from Libya’s rich oil fields The tanker named Independenta, which set out to transport 96 thousand tons of crude oil to Romania’s Constanta Port, arrived in the waters of the Bosphorus on November 15, 1979. However, the tragedy occurred off the coast of Haydarpaşa.

Tanker entering the Bosphorus from the Black Sea Collided with Greek-flagged ship Evriali, then ignited a catastrophic event for both people and the environment. These terrible moments were engraved as a black mark in the history of the Bosphorus.

A large part of the houses on the shore were damaged in the loud explosion. Not just houses; The sea was covered with oil waste. Thousands of creatures lost their lives and the ecosystem was destroyed. Just a few weeks after the explosion, The second major explosion that occurred on the tanker at the beginning of December had a much more devastating effect than the previous ones.

High flames caused by successive explosions greatly disrupted fire extinguishing and debris removal efforts.

The intensity of this explosion was accompanied by flames and black smoke that could reach meters high. fire fighting teamsThey tried to fight against the flames, facing extraordinary difficulties. However, this explosion made the previously taken safety measures even more difficult and created a completely different level of difficulty in firefighting.

The process of controlling the fire and removing the debris after the explosion required extraordinary care and expertise. This challenging mission made the effects of the accident worsen and the region a black curtain caused it to be covered with . Such a difficulty that the debris could not be removed for 8 years.

second explosion, Independenta was another facet of the horror of the tanker disaster; It put the region in an even more difficult situation and turned it into a painful story.

The expert report stated that the Greek ship had major defects.

Istanbulites have engraved the images of this accident in their memories. Because the fire lasted for weeks. The oil spill that emerged after the accident devastated the Bosphorus. In order to prevent oil from spreading further, the USA approximately 1 km long barrier to the Bosphorus placed it.

However, Istanbul was a painful victim of an unprecedented environmental disaster at that time.. Research conducted after the disaster showed that 96% of the creatures living in the depths of the Bosphorus died due to pollution.

This desperate situation is a great way for the fishermen of Istanbul to reunite with the hosts of the sea. many years pass It showed that it was necessary.

This accident, which occurred in the middle of the Bosphorus, resulted in a tragic reality in which all 43 crew members of the Independenta tanker lost their lives.

This incident, one of the most terrible accidents in our civilian maritime history, had a great impact all over the world at that time. However, Istanbul, which lost more than human lives, It also suffered great financial devastation.

The material damage caused by the disaster was measured in terms of the money of that period. 40 billion lira It was calculated as . Throat; It lost not only its water, but also its history and dozens of lives.

The sky was painted black at that time. This image perhaps turned into a nightmare that would never leave the minds of those living in Istanbul. What is even more painful is that the wreckage of the accident was only removed in 1987. So, after years and years… Is it possible that those who had to see this view for years will forget this painful picture?

The wreckage of the giant tanker, reminiscent of the accident, was removed from the Bosphorus in 1987.

In 1987, the wreckage that was pulled into Tuzla left us with bad memories. After the accident, the silence in the depths of the Bosphorus was filled with life. due to pollution from the ecosystem It turned into the pathetic cries of the living creatures that lost their lives and the screams of the people who lost their lives in the tanker.

Filmed by Kemal Sunal in 1979 Fearless coward In this scene of the movie, there is smoke footage of the accident: