Russian cargo ship with crew sinks

A Russian cargo ship laden with timber destined for China sank in storm conditions in the Sea of Japan today and rescuers were searching for the ship’s 18 crew members, Russian transport officials said.

Ships from Panama, South Korea and Israel were headed toward the last known location of the Sinegorye, some 60 miles north-east of the South Korean coast, the Transport Ministry said in a statement.

The captain reported to Russian coast guard officials around 6.40am Moscow time that the ship was listing badly, the ministry said, after the cargo apparently shifted and rolled into the sea, damaging some of the ship’s infrastructure and puncturing part of the ballast tanks.

Russian state-run television, however, said the captain had ordered some of the cargo to be dumped into the sea.

The ship sent an SOS about 30 minutes later and radio contact was then lost, the ministry said.

South Korea’s coast guard reported that high seas, strong winds and heavy rains were preventing aircraft from searching for the ship, the ministry said.