Turkish vessel runs aground in Abkhazia

A Turkish cargo ship - the Isabel 2 - has run aground in Sokhumi sea port in breakaway Abkhazia, Interfax news agency reported on September 29.
The ship's stern hit the beach in a severe storm, leaving the bow submerged. All ten crew members survived.
On September 24 Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said that Sokhumi wanted to restore direct sea links with Turkey in order to re-establish contact with the Abkhazian diaspora living in Turkey.