BARTIN, Turkey

Search and rescue efforts for three missing people are ongoing three days after a Palau-flagged cargo ship sank off Turkey's Black Sea coast, officials said on Wednesday.

The Coast Guard divers, the provincial gendarmerie command and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) teams continue searching in Inkumu, Guzelcehisar and Mugada beaches and rocky places with binoculars.

While bad weather conditions have hampered the rescue operation by sea, an aircraft belonging to the navy carries out scanning on air.

On Sunday, the ship named Arvin broke into two pieces and sank in the area where it was anchored, according to a statement from Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

The ship had anchored on Jan. 15 in the administrative area of the Port of Bartin due to bad weather.

Rescue teams have so far managed to rescue six of 12 crew members – all Ukrainian nationals – and recovered three bodies.

Before the accident, the Arvin had been heading to Burgas, Bulgaria.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar