Turkish-Owned Freighter Runs Aground Near Kerch Strait
A Turkish-owned freighter has gone aground in the Black Sea just off Novorossiysk, according to Turkey's Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
On Tuesday morning, the ministry said that the freighter Happy Aras had drifted south of he Kerch Strait and had gone aground. The vessel was taking on water, and all 14 crewmembers - including three Turkish nationals - were evacuated safely. Turkey's Maritime Rescue Center provided coordination for the response, the ministry said.
No injuries have been reported, and the vessel's status is being monitored.
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Happy Aras is a Vanuatu-flagged coastal freighter built in 1990. She has an extensive history of port state control deficiencies and detentions, with multiple issues identified in every PSC inspection since 2018.
The vessel's AIS signal has appeared sporadically on commercial tracking since December 30, when the vessel departed Varna for Novorossisysk. The most recently-received transmission was picked up by MarineTraffic four days ago, and the vessel was moving at three knots and broadcasting "not under command."
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