Athens, Nov 26 (AP) A cargo ship sank off the Greek island of Lesbos in stormy seas early Sunday, leaving 13 crew members missing and one rescued, authorities said.

The Raptor, registered in the Comoros, was on its way to Istanbul from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying 6,000 tons of salt, the coast guard said. It had a crew of 14, including eight Egyptians, four Indians and two Syrians, the coast guard said.

Also Read | Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal: Will Do Everything To Bring Back Other Hostages, Says Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The ship reported a mechanical problem at 7 am Sunday, sent a distress signal and shortly after disappeared about 4 1/2 nautical miles (8 km) southwest of Lesbos, authorities said.

One Egyptian was rescued, a coast guard spokeswoman told The Associated Press.

Also Read | Pneumonia Outbreak: India Monitoring Respiratory Illness Cases in China, Health Ministry Says Situation Not Alarming.

She said that eight merchant ships, two helicopters and one Greek navy frigate were searching for survivors. Three coast guard vessels had difficulty reaching the area because of rough seas, she added. The spokeswoman spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing and she wasn't authorised to speak to the media.

Northwesterly winds in excess of 80 kph (50 mph) per hour are blowing in the area, the national weather service said. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)