UPDATES WITH FIVE CREW MEMBERS RESCUED, TWO CASUALTIES FOUND; CHANGES DECK
By Selim Bostanci and Yucel Velioglu
BARTIN, Turkey (AA) - A Russian-flagged 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 are underway for an estimated 15 crew members stranded in three lifeboats.
Stating that rescue teams had difficulty deploying to the area due to bad weather conditions, he added: "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."
The efforts launched by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and Coast Guard managed to rescue five members of the crew, while recovering the lifeless bodies of two others, Guner said after efforts got underway.
He added all crew members of Arvin are Russian citizens.