TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Seven crew members are missing after a Turkish cargo vessel sank off the Libyan coast on Thursday in bad weather, a coastguard official said.

The ship, a dry bulk vessel carrying construction materials, sank two to three miles from the port of the north-western Libyan city of Misrata, said Reda Issa, a local coastguard commander.

Six of the crew were rescued by coast guards and port staff, he said. All crew members were Turkish.

“We are still searching for seven of the Turkish ship’s crew members but unfortunately the bad weather is hindering the coast guards’ work,” Issa said.