A Turkish merchant vessel with 12 crew members on board sank after hitting a breakwater near the port of Ereğli off the coast of Zonguldak province in northern Turkey, Reuters reports. 

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Turkish-flagged bulk carrier Kafkametler, en route to Izmir from the port of Temryuk in Krasnodar Territory, began to drift and sank after hitting a breakwater. No contact has been established with the 12 crew members, all Turkish citizens.

It is reported that during the approach to the port of Ereğli, the captain of the Kafkametler signaled that the ship was drifting towards the breakwater. Communication with the vessel, including visual communication, could not be established, and search and rescue operations were not possible due to bad weather conditions.

According to media reports, the Kafkametler was transporting a cargo of ferroalloys from Temryuk, Russia, to Aliaga, Turkey.