News agency: Iranian ship sinks in Iraqi waters, 1 dead

The head of Iran's maritime and ports association said Friday an Iranian cargo ship sank in Iraqi waters, and at least one crew member was dead and two others, including an Indian, missing, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported. Nader Pasandeh told IRNA the cargo ship Behbahan embarked Tuesday for Umm Qasr Port in Iraq from the southwest Iranian port city of Khorramshahr. He said it sank Thursday night in Khor Abdullah, a narrow channel that separates Iraq from Kuwait.

Officials said it was not immediately clear why the vessel, which had a crew of seven, went down. Pasandeh said Iran was consulting with Iraq to dispatch teams of marine experts to the scene. He said the vessel was loaded with construction materials and ceramics.

Pasandeh said one of the missing crew members is Iranian and one is Indian. The Iraqi Transport Ministry said Friday the reason for the ship's sinking was unknown and that four crew members were rescued and one body recovered. The search was ongoing for remaining crew members.