N Korea ship sinks off Cyprus, one missing-police

NICOSIA, Jan 22 (Reuters) A North Korea-flagged cargo ship sank in rough seas south of Cyprus today and one Syrian crew member was reported missing, police on the Mediterranean island said.

Authorities were alerted after a German frigate patrolling the east Mediterranean picked up a man at sea 85 nautical miles south of Cyprus at 0915 IST. Five other survivors were later winched off a life raft onto a police helicopter.

The six were taken to hospital for observation, police said.

All seven crew members of the vessel were thought to be Syrian.

It was not immediately clear what the vessel was carrying.

One crew member identified the vessel as the Haj Jamal, registered in North Korea and sailing from Syria to Egypt, police said.

REUTERS SP BS1704