The crew of a general cargoship have been rescued after their vessel sank off India.

The 1,200-dwt ITT Panther (built 1985) sent a distress signal in the early hours of Thursday, the New Indian Express said.

It reported a cargo shift in strong winds 120 nautical miles off the Andaman Islands.

Crew abandoned the vessel and it soon sank.

They grabbed hold of floating containers from the ship until the Indian Coast Guard came for them.