11 Missing After Cargo Ship Capsizes

Eleven crewmembers from a Bangladeshi cargo ship went missing Thursday after their vessel capsized in the Andaman Sea, prompting an intense rescue mission.

The ship was heading for Bangladesh's port of Chittagong, when it started experiencing difficulties in rough seas about 20 miles off an island near Phuket, Thailand [pictured above].

Six of the crew were rescued shortly after the incident - five by a nearby merchant ship and the other by a navy helicopter.

There were a total of 17 mariners onboard the vessel. The 11 missing crewmen were reportedly in a lifeboat which was set adrift by the high sea.

Extremely poor visibility is hampering the search-and-rescue operation for the missing. Two trips by helicopters, and one by airplane have been conducted in heavy rain and poor visibility.

Navy officials confirmed that the ship capsized in rough seas; there are 16-foot-high waves in the Andaman Sea near Phuket currently.