Cargo ship sinks near Turkey, leaving at least 3 dead, officials say

A cargo ship sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast near the northern province of Bartin on Sunday, leaving at least three people dead, according to Turkish state media.

Emergency workers have rescued at least six of the 12 crew members from the ship, the Arvin, according to Sinan Guner, the governor of Bartin, who was quoted by the state-owned Anadolu Agency. Helicopters were dispatched to help with the efforts, Guner said.

Civilian ships had been asked to help with rescue efforts near the Inkumu district, Guner said, but the operation was complicated by bad weather. The Defence Ministry also said that it had dispatched a vessel to help evacuation efforts, local media reported.

“There is information that another three crew members were seen motionless in the rocks. We are trying to reach them via land,” Guner said.

Guner told the private news agency DHA that the ship, which was 46 years old, had broken in two and sunk around 12:20 p.m. Crew members tried to get on lifeboats, but some jumped into the sea with life jackets, the news agency said.

The ship had been bound for the port of Burgas in Bulgaria, Anadolu said, citing the Turkish Transport Ministry. It had left Poti, Georgia, days earlier.

The ship flew the flag of Palau and was Ukrainian-owned, local media reported, and its crew consisted of 10 Ukrainians and two Russians.

The ministry said the ship was anchored in the port of Bartin on Friday because of bad weather.

Video shared by the Anadolu Agency showed the ship, visible from a beach, being rocked by waves.

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