Air Force pilots and Navy ships saved several crew members and are searching for seven others after their ship sank approximately 50 miles in international waters off the Lebanese coast. The ship is owned by an Israeli and was reported to be in need of repairs. It was flying a Togolese flag, but IDF spokesmen denied original reports that the vessel was Turkish-owned.
One of the crew members was found floating on a raft.
It was on its way to Haifa from Greece, and reportedly has been used for carrying building materials. No foul play was suspected.
Helicopters found several survivors, who were flown to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The crew members were reported to be mostly from the Ukraine. The ship sent a distress signal to United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UINIFIL), who saved one of the crew members before the IDF arrived.