Six crewmembers of a cargo ship were killed after their vessel sank in rough waters off northern Turkey on Monday, January 7.
The Panama-flagged Volgo Balt 214 was approximately 80 nautical miles off Samsun province and en route to the Russian port of Azov carrying 3,300 tonnes of coal when the crew sent out a distress signal at around 08:10 local time.
The Turkish Coast Guard then immediately despatched two rescue boats, three helicopters, and a fixed-wing aircraft to render assistance. However, Volgo Balt 214's captain and five other crewmembers died before any of the rescuers arrived on scene.
The surviving seven crewmembers were brought out of the water and rushed to hospital. One survivor has told local authorities that a powerful wave split the ship's hull into two, causing it to sink.
The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
