Istanbul, May 5, (dpa/GNA) – The Bosphorus Strait connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean is closed to shipping traffic after a freighter from Ukraine ran aground on Tuesday, Turkish authorities told dpa.

The vessel, named Alexis, is carrying food products from Ukraine to Egypt. It suffered an engine failure towards the exit of the waterway, a coastal safety directorate spokesperson told dpa over the phone.

Rescue efforts are already underway, the source added.

The Bosphorus is a busy channel and has served as a gateway for Ukrainian grain to world markets amid the Russian invasion.

Nearly 40,000 ships passed through the Bosphorus in 2023, according to the Turkish Transport Ministry. GNA