At least 51 people are believed to have died after a ferry sank in the Caspian Sea.
The passenger ferry was on its way from Aktau, Kazakhstan, to the Azerbaijani capital Baku when it sank.
The Interfax news agency says no one survived and cited the Azerbaijani State Television. The ferry sank 80 miles from Baku, with 43 crew members, eight passengers, and 16 tanks of crude oil on board, the ferry company said.
The Interfax news agency reports the weather was bad at the time the ship went under.
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The office of Azerbaijani President Mr Geidar Aliev said five ships and five helicopters were involved in the search-and-rescue operation.
There was heavy rain and high winds at the site of the sinking, complicating rescue efforts.
PA