Maritime traffic in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait, one of the world's most important waterways, was suspended on Monday due to heavy fog, according to local authorities.

Türkiye's Directorate General of Coastal Safety said that two-way vessel traffic through the strait was suspended starting at 4:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT), as visibility plummeted to just a few meters along the strait connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The Bosphorus is a vital shipping route linking the Black Sea with international markets.

Dense fog also disrupted ferry services between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, with passenger and vehicle ferries suspended until further notice.

The dense fog was triggered by a sudden drop in sea surface temperatures, meteorologists said.