The millions of Turks living in cities and towns on or near the strait have good reason to be worried. Over the years, many serious accidents have occurred. The worst involved a collision between a tanker and a dry cargo vessel in 1994; 29 crew members burned to death in the flaming crude, and all shipping was blocked for five days. Turkey is pushing the United Nations' International Maritime Organization to approve new rules for safety in navigation, including mandatory use of pilots, but political considerations make action difficult. Meanwhile, the big ships continue on their way. Warns one Turkish maritime expert: "Every ten minutes there is risk."
Rudolph Chelminski, November 1998 issue of Smithsonian
