Ship carrying dozens of crew members sinks off Lebanese coast

Beirut: Reports say 12 people have been rescued from rough seas after a cargo ship carrying 83 people and a load of cattle sank off the Lebanese coast in stormy weather.

Vessels from the Lebanese navy and a UN peacekeeping force in the country were trying to find other survivors from the sunken ship, which was believed to have been sailing from Uruguay to the Syrian port of Tartous.

The officer says the Panama-flagged ship sent a distress call Thursday afternoon and a Lebanese navy ship was dispatched, but by the time rescuers arrived the ship had sunk 17 kilometres off the coast.

He says two crew members have been rescued. A civilian vessel and a ship from a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon were also called to help.

He said Britain was asked to send two helicopters from Cyprus.