SOFIA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - A Bulgarian cargo ship with 11 seamen on board sank in rough weather in the Sea of Azov on the border between Russia and Ukraine on Thursday, the Bulgarian coastguard said.

A Russian ship was on its way to the scene to try to rescue the 10 Bulgarian and one Ukrainian seamen, Nikolai Apostolov, head of Bulgaria's coastguard administration, told Reuters.

Russian helicopters were also expected to join the rescue operation, he said.

The ship, carrying a cargo of Russian iron, was heading for the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas and issued a call for assistance at 0005 GMT, Apostolov said. (Reporting by Anna Mudeva; editing by Andrew Dobbie)

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