ISTANBUL - A Cambodian-flagged cargo ship sank on Tuesday after it had set sail from Istanbul Strait to the Black Sea. Fourteen crew members of the ship, including five Turks, were rescued.
Salih Orakci, the Deputy Director General of Coastal Security and Ship Rescue Enterprises, told A.A correspondent that Yuril Danchenko, the captain of the Cambodian-flagged ship named ''Anatolia 1'', signaled S.O.S at 5.40 a.m. since the ship ran out of fuel.
Orakci said that aid was immediately sent to the ship which was almost 23 miles off Istanbul Strait and the cargo ship started to be pulled towards Istanbul Strait around 11.00 a.m.
As the cargo ship started to leak around 1.35 p.m., the captain asked authorities to rescue the crew, Orakci noted.
Orakci said that as the cargo ship sank 20 miles of Istanbul Strait, captain and 13 crew members who were on lifeboats were rescued by a tug-boat named ''Kurtarma 1.''
The crew including Turkish citizens Erkan Topa, Tolga Yavuz, Ali Karaalioglu, Dursun Yavuz and Recep Karaman were brought to Istanbul, Orakci stated.
Orakci added that the crew would undergo check-up in Istanbul.
The Cambodian-flagged ship which was 113 meters in length was loaded with 2 thousand 753 tons of scrap iron.
(BRC-ÖŞ) 11.11.2003