6 die as cargo ship sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

6 die as cargo ship sinks off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

At least six seamen were killed when a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast on Jan. 7, officials said. Click through for the story in photos...

Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak told reporters that six sailors were killed and seven others were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard after the vessel went down some 77 nautical miles off northern Samsun province.

A 13-strong crew was aboard the vessel that was reportedly carrying coal before it sent a distress call and eventually broke into two, according to the Samsun governor’s office.

Search and rescue efforts were underway with four helicopters, one plane, two Coast Guard boats, one rescue ship, and one towing boat, the statement added.

It wasn't immediately clear why the ship sank. One rescued sailor said an unexpected wave had taken away the ship's bow The cargo vessel was reportedly carrying 3,300 tons of coal to Samsun from the Russian port of Azov.

The crew members included nine Ukrainian, two Azerbaijani and two Russian citizens, local media reported. Officials have not revealed the identities of the killed and rescued sailors.

ALL PHOTOS

Chloe Jasmine takes stage at Turkish designer’s fashion show in London

Istanbul mesmerizes under a blanket of fog

Istanbul vets make city's stray animals feel at home

Turkish man manages to capture rare footage of ermine

Demolition of hotel in Cappadocia’s ‘fairy chimneys’ area started

‘Leaning’ apartment buildings in Turkey’s north raise concerns following deadly Istanbul collapse

Most expensive Indian wedding in Turkey takes place in Antalya

Tourists who take selfies on historic bridge in Turkey's north may cause it to collapse: Locals

Rhino horns seized at Istanbul Atatürk Airport