MOSCOW (AP) — A Russian fishing trawler sank Monday in the northern Barents Sea and 17 of its crew are still missing, emergency officials said. Two other crew members have been rescued.

According to a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee, the vessel with 19 crew members on board capsized and sank on Monday morning. A criminal probe into the incident has been launched and a search operation is underway.

Four vessels have been deployed to look for the missing crew members, the Interfax news agency reported.

Ice accumulation on the boat could have caused the sinking of the trawler, Russia's Emergency Ministry said.