Twenty-three sailors were safely evacuated Tuesday from a bulk carrier that sustained severe damage in a collision north of Iran's Qeshm Island, local media reported.

Axar.az informs, citing Anadolu Agency, Iran's Fars News Agency said authorities in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas received a report of a maritime collision early Tuesday.

Preliminary investigations showed that a bulk carrier collided with another vessel at sea, the agency said.

A pilot boat and a tugboat were dispatched to the site in coordination with the Hormuzgan Province Maritime Search and Rescue Center to respond to the emergency and assess the extent of the damage.

The bulk carrier, carrying 23 sailors, sustained major damage to the middle section of its hull and began taking on water, prompting the captain to order the crew to abandon ship.

All 23 foreign crew members were evacuated safely and taken to Qeshm Island, according to the report.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation.