A Turkish-flagged ship with five people on board was heading for safety at a port on the island of Rhodes late yesterday just hours after sending out a distress call which prompted a rescue operation to be launched by Greek authorities.

The freighter was caught in a storm at around 6 p.m. some 10 nautical miles southeast of Rhodes in the eastern Aegean. The crew radioed for help as gale-force winds blew in the area.

A Super Puma helicopter, a coast guard rescue boat and navy ships headed toward the troubled vessel.

However, the captain of the Ugur refused help from the helicopter, which arrived on the scene first, because he felt there was no need for the crew to be airlifted to safety.

Instead, the captain, who was not named, said that the ship could safely reach a harbor on Rhodes.

According to unconfirmed reports, the captain told authorities that he had not given the go-ahead for the distress call to be issued.

All five seamen on board the Ugur were reported to be in good health.