TEHRAN: An Emirati cargo ship sank in Gulf waters off Iran, triggering a search and rescue operation in heavy seas on Thursday which recovered all but one of its 30 crew, Iranian media reported.

“All but one of the 30 crew members have been rescued,” the crisis management director for Bushehr province on Iran’s Gulf coast told state news agency IRNA.

He said the search was continuing for the final missing crew member with two rescue vessels combing the waters.

State media reported that the vessel — a car transporter — had capsized in heavy winds off the Iranian port of Asalouyeh.

“An Emirati car transporter ship sank nearly 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the port of Asalouyeh,” a local maritime protection official told IRNA.

“Because of the unfavourable weather and high winds” the ship sank before three rescue vessels could reach its location, the official said, adding that winds were gusting at more than 70 kilometres per hour.