UPDATE 2- Turkey: Panama-flagged ship sinks off Black Sea coast

ADDS STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR'S OFFICE; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Fatih Hafiz Mehmet and Muhammed Boztepe

ANKARA (AA) - Two seamen were killed when a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank off Turkey’s Black Sea coast Monday, officials said.

Seven sailors were rescued by Turkish Coast Guard as four others were still missing 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 in 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 was not immediately clear why the ship sank.

* Ilyas Gun in Samsun contributed to this report