A Ukrainian dry cargo ship sunk off Turkey’s Black Sea on Sunday, according to a Turkish governor.
The ship, named Arvin, sunk off the Inkumu coast of the northern province Bartin, said Sinan Guner.
Guner added that rescue efforts were being launched for an estimated 15 crew members stranded in three lifeboats.
“Currently, there are no reports of deaths or sunken lifeboats,” he stated, adding that rescue teams were having difficulty deploying to the area due to bad weather conditions.
“But, we will get them deployed. Even if it’s a large ship, even if it’s a private ship, we’ll get them [rescue teams] there,” he added.
Efforts launched by Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and Coast Guard have so far managed to rescue five crew members and recover the lifeless bodies of two others, Guner said.
In a statement, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced that the Navy had deployed a frigate to support the rescue effort.
