"The situation is dangerous but it's under control at the moment. An additional difficulty is that the currents are carrying the ship towards the coast," Sea and Transport Minister Bozidar Kalmeta said before heading to the region.

"We know there are 1,000 tonnes of crude oil on the ship and small quantities of other dangerous materials," the minister said, without elaborating.

He said he believed there was no danger of an explosion, but added that would have "disastrous consequences", state news agency Hina reported.

"The ship's stern is completely destroyed, while its prow is is still burning," his ministry said in an earlier statement.

The statement said the 193-metre-long ship Und Adriyatik was sailing from Istanbul to Trieste carrying "200 trucks and nine tonnes of dangerous material".

Tug boats were cooling the shell of the Turkish ship to prevent it from melting and allowing the ship's cargo to pollute the sea.

The accident happened 13 nautical miles west of the northern Adriatic town of Rovinj. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.