Ankara, Dec 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Four people have died and at least 12 went missing after a cargo ship capsized in a storm off the Turkish coast, the coast guard said.
Three rescuers died and another three were missing during a search and rescue operation to find nine missing crew members, Turkish media said.
Three crew members have been rescued so far. One died while being air-lifted to safety.
The Volgo Balt 199 vessel, with a crew of 11 Ukrainians and one Russian, sank off Istanbul's Black Sea coast near Sile Tuesday.
The ship, owned by the Solna Maritime Company, was carrying coal from Russia to Turkey.
The rescue operation was hampered by stormy weather in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey's NTV television reported.