Search for bodies continues after ship sinks off Turkey, two bodies recovered

Coast guard units continue to search for bodies of four crew members after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast, the local governorship said.

Samsun province's governor office said in a statement the search operation was being aided by two boats and a helicopter.

The bodies of Azerbaijani captain Ismyilov Turbat and Ukrainian third mate Bodnik Ruslan have been recovered, Anadolu Agency reported.

Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak said yesterday that six sailors died and seven others were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard after the vessel went down some 80 nautical miles off the northern Samsun province.

Eleven crew members were Ukrainian nationals and two Azerbaijani.

Kaymak said that one rescued sailor said an unexpected wave had taken away the ship's bow.