Cargo ship with 12 aboard sinks in Black Sea

Moscow: A cargo ship with 12 persons aboard sank in the Black Sea on Wednesday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.

At least seven crewmembers of the dry cargo ship Geroi Arsenala are still missing, RT News reported.

Over 120 rescuers and eight vessels are taking part in the rescue mission, Russia`s Emergencies Ministry said.

"The Geroi Arsenala sank, five people have been rescued, the search for seven people is under way," a source said.

However, conflicting reports said only one of the crewmembers had been rescued alive.

The nationals of at least three states -- Russia, Ukraine and Georgia -- were aboard the ship.

The ship, which was sailing under the Panamanian flag and heading from the Russian port city of Azov to Turkey, was loaded with grain.