Turkish cargo vessel with 12-member crew sinks off Black Sea coast

Ankara, Nov 20 – Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on Monday confirmed that a cargo ship and its 12-member crew capsized off the country’s Black Sea coast during a storm overnight.

The authorities have been unable to make contact with the crew, Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying to reporters in the northwestern city of Eregli.

The “Kafkametler” vessel, which was transporting ferrosilicon from the Russian port of Temryuk to Aliaga in Turkey, sank after hitting the breakwater in Eregli, he said.

The region was hit by powerful storms on Sunday and the bad weather prevented authorities from carrying out searches, he added.

“When the adverse weather conditions improve, search and rescue activities will start immediately,” Yerlikaya said.