A Turkish cargo vessel with a ten-member crew sank on Saturday at Ionion Sea on the western part of Greece, and the body of the dead captain was retrieved during an ongoing rescue operation for three more missing seamen, local media reported, citing Greek Coast Guard.

The rest of the crew on board of the "Erol Senkaya" ship, all Turkish nationals, were rescued and transferred on shore to a local hospital for first aid, according to a Greek Coast Guard press statement

Earlier report had that the vessel sank off the island of Zakynthos for unspecified reasons shortly after leaving the port loaded with 2,200 tonnes of olive oil heading for Turkey.

Five Coast Guard boats, a Greek Air Force plane, a helicopter and other boats have participated in the search for the missing crew members.