Kolkata: Ten crew members were missing as a Malaysian cargo liner 'Ginnis Star Six' loaded with timber sank at the Sandheads, about 180 nautical miles from Haldia in the Bay of Bengal today (Apr 13, 2004).

Eight of the 18 members of the crew on board, including the captain, were picked up by a Thai ship 'Tong Hi', inspector general of police (law and order) of West Bengal, Chayan Mukherjee told reporters.

Coast Guard helicopters were searching for the missing crew, Mukherjee said. The Haldia Port Trust was also taking part in the search.

The Thai ship, which was passing 50 kms off the area swung into action to rescue the crew following an SOS from the Coast Guard, its commander in West Bengal Col Randeep Kumar Wadhwa said.

The Coast Guard has flown out a Dornier aircraft from Kolkata, besides sending two rescue vessels - 'Baraha' from Kolkata and 'Razia Sultana' from Paradip port in Orissa.

Col Wadhwa said the Coast Guard had received information in the morning that the Malaysian vessel to reach Kolkata port tomorrow had begun tilting on its right side. It sank at around noon.