Thousands of sheep would have drowned by shipwreck in the Black Sea

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The ship was carrying 14,600 sheep when it partially sank.

(CNN) - It is feared that thousands of sheep have drowned after a cargo ship overturned on Sunday in the Black Sea, off the coast of Romania.

The Queen Hind ship, which was sailing with the Palau flag, was carrying 14,600 sheep when it sank partially shortly after leaving the Port of Midia, according to the state news agency Agerpres. The photos show the ship half submerged in the Black Sea.

A rescue operation began immediately, with 10 ships sent to the scene by the authorities.

A crew of 22 people was also on board. One fell overboard, but he and the others were rescued and taken ashore, according to Agerpres.

The Coast Guard, the maritime rescue agency and other emergency services were mobilized, working until night fell. As of Sunday afternoon, about 40 sheep had been rescued, Agerpres reported. The operation continued on Monday morning.

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The photos and video of the scene show some sheep still above the water, with their heads sticking out of the ship's railings. The few that were rescued were loaded in boats and taken to port.

It is not clear how many sheep are still alive on the ship, but the authorities anticipate the worst.

"They are probably drowning," ISU Dobrogea, the county emergency response agency, told Pro TV, a CNN affiliate. "With people, with boats, we will see what resources we have that we can use."

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the boat to tip over, but an investigation will explore several possibilities, according to Pro TV. One is that the sheep were not properly loaded on board, creating a weight imbalance on the side of the ship, which caused the sinking.

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Livestock companies and animal rights organizations have expressed outrage over the sinking. ACEBOP, a Romanian association composed of 18 livestock companies, reported the loss of "thousands of innocent souls ... without any clear reason," in a statement Sunday.

"We do not accept such explanations," the statement said. "We request an urgent investigation of the responsible institutions and the punishment of those guilty in accordance with the Romanian animal welfare law."

SheepRomania