Jolly Nero
The container ship Jolly Nero is pictured after crashing into a control tower in the northern Italian port city of Genoa May 8, 2013. Reuters

The Jolly Nero, a cargo ship owned and operated by the Ignazio Messina & C. SpA Italian shipping line, crashed into a dock as it left a busy commercial port in Genoa, Italy, Tuesday night.

Italian officials are reporting that a total of five bodies have been pulled from the wreckage, so far. In addition, four people were hospitalized while several others remain missing, possibly trapped inside the tower's submerged elevator.

The crash occurred around 11 p.m. Tuesday night during a shift change, making the accounting of personnel more difficult, according to Italian officials.

According to its website, the Genoa-based Messina Line has a fleet of 14 cargo ships, with the Italian-flagged Jolly Nero listed at 239 meters (784 feet) long and 30 meters (98 feet) wide.

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