A helicopter of the Bulgarian Air Force will join the investigation of 5 sailors that are still missing after Monday's collision between two ships in the Black Sea, some 20 km south of Bulgaria's Emine Cape.

Sergey Tsarnakliyski, Director of the Bulgarian Maritime Administration Agency, has announced that the weather conditions are favorable – visibility is good and the wind is weak.

Bulgaria's Maritime Administration Agency, Border Police, the Navy and civilian vessels are participating in the rescue operation.

The collision is believed to have been the result of incorrect manoeuvres, according to Tsarnakliyski. The two ships clashed at about 5:40 pm local time.

The Karim 1 cargo ship, carrying scrap, and sailing under the Sierra Leone flag sank. There are minor damages to the other vessel, a much larger Dutch oil tanker "Alessandro DP." There were initial fears of a large oil spill, but the tanker was empty.

The Bulgarian Civil Protection Agency, Border Police and two cargo vessels that were nearby, staged a rescue operation saving five of the ten crew members of the Karim 1 ship.

Two of the five sailors that are still missing are believe to have died, according to witnesses.

"More than 10 vessels and 100 people have been involved in the rescue operation. The fact that we managed to save five people shows that we are acting adequately," Tsarnakliyski told the Bulgarian Darik Radio.

He added that the water temperature is about 15 degrees and the weather conditions are excellent, which would allow people to survive for a longer period in the waters.

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