Istanbul, May 7 : A cargo vessel bound for Egypt from Ukraine ran aground at the southwestern gateway of Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on Tuesday, prompting authorities to suspend maritime traffic.

The 229-metre-long cargo ship Alexis ran aground near the Haydarpasa breakwater along the Asian shoreline due to a machine malfunctioning, the Directorate General of Coastal Safety said on X.

Traffic along the strait was temporarily halted in both directions while rescue boats and scuba divers converged on the site, said the directorate as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

"After conducting an underwater investigation led by our divers, our emergency response vessel, Nenehatun, has reached the affected area," it added.

The Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea, is one of the busiest waterways in the world.

/IANS