According to MANA, it said that the Panama-flagged vessel 'Geroi Arsenala' had sent an SOS signal when it was located 14 nautical miles off the Crimean coast.
At least six ships and a helicopter were engaged in a search and rescue operation, the emergency situations ministry said in a statement. Their task was complicated however by high winds and choppy waters.
Only one of the 12-person crew had been rescued so far, the ministry said, saying that the crew had been made up of nine Ukrainians, two Russians and one Georgian.