According to foreign media reports, a chemical leakage incident occurred at the Port of Mersin, Turkey, in the early hours of September 4 at approximately 2:20 a.m. local time. A piece of port operating machinery accidentally tipped over and struck a container loaded with ethyl acrylate, causing damage to the container and resulting in a spill of this colorless liquid chemical with a strong pungent odor. A dense smell quickly spread throughout the surrounding area.

Following the incident, port authorities immediately ordered a halt to all operations and urgently evacuated on-site personnel. The Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) emergency response team from Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), along with health departments and other relevant agencies, rapidly arrived at the scene to handle the situation. After measurements, the CBRN team reported that no warning or hazardous concentrations of chemical indicators were detected. As a precautionary measure, a security control zone was established around the affected area, and the damaged container was promptly moved to a designated isolated safe area.

A total of 35 port personnel who were affected by the strong odor were taken to hospitals for medical observation. All are in good condition and remain under observation, with no life-threatening injuries. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

At present, the timeline for the full resumption of port operations has not yet been determined. Relevant authorities are closely monitoring further developments and assessing whether there will be delays to loading procedures and other port activities. The Governor's Office of Mersin emphasized that all response measures were carried out in accordance with contingency plans and that safety risks have been effectively brought under control.