"How Istanbul is threatened by cataclysm
Bound by an outdated international convention, Turkey is forced to allow dangerous traffic on the Bosphorus, says Claire Berlinski
By Claire Berlinski
FIRST POSTED NOVEMBER 24, 2008
In the fog, the minarets of Istanbul's Ottoman skyline fade into the sky. The streets turn wet and slippery and the Bosphorus smells of fish and charcoal. It also smells of oil from the tankers. These massive ships are constantly passing to and fro under the city's huge concrete bridges and emphasise this famous waterway's critical geostrategic significance. For those who live in this mega-city, some of these vessels also constitute the ultimate nightmare - an accident involving a ship carrying liquid petroleum gas. Under the right conditions, it could explode like an atomic bomb, destroying the 3,000-year-old city and every living thing within a 50km radius."
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