Bulgaria's Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev said two Bulgarian sailors were found dead in the waters of Azov Sea after a cargo ship sank near the Kerch Strait on Thursday.

The latest official data denies reports that claimed rescue services discovered the bodies of five Bulgarian sailors on board of Vanessa ship.

The ministry confirmed the mechanic Nikolay Dimitrov was rescued and headed to a hospital in Russia's Port Kavkaz.

The other eight sailors, an Ukrainian national among them, who were on the board of the sunk vessel, are still missing.

Vanessa ship is operated by Board Marine Burgas Company that is responsible for the safety of the people aboard, the head of Bulgaria's Maritime Administration Nikolay Apostolov said.

The signal over the accident was given shortly after 2 a.m. An Ukrainian tugboat and a helicopter are still searching for survivors.

"There were thermal suits for all the sailors and it is highly probable that they put them on but it is not clear if the marine officials could survive as the water temperature in Azov Sea is about 4C," Minister Mutafchiev explained.

"Bulgaria will insist on taking part in the investigation on the case," he added.

The ministry does not exclude the possibility that the accident occurred as a result of overloading the ship.

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