Azerbaijan rescues crew from Iranian ship before it sinks in Caspian Sea

An Iranian cargo ship sent an alarm signal about an accident near a Caspian Sea port on Friday, Azerbaijan State Maritime Agency reported. (File/AFP)

• Two helicopters and a border patrol vessel were sent to the site of the accident
• Nine people were rescued from the Iranian cargo vessel

BAKU: Azerbaijan rescued all nine crew members of an Iranian cargo vessel on Friday before it sunk in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan's state maritime agency said on Friday.
It was unclear what cargo the ship, the SHABAHANG, was carrying.
The maritime agency said the vessel had sent a distress signal on Friday afternoon after getting into trouble near the Azeri port of Lenkoran.
Two helicopters and a border patrol vessel had then rushed to the area and rescued the ship's crew, it said.
It gave no details about why the ship had run into trouble or where the vessel was heading.