The death toll is believed to have risen to 13 after a fishing boat capsized on Monday near the Malvinas Islands, known to English speakers as the Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims as its own but is governed by Britain, Reuters reported Thursday citing the boat's Norwegian owner. 

A total of 27 crew members had been aboard the Argos Georgia, a Saint Helena-flagged vessel, of whom 14 were rescued and nine were found dead, Ervik Havfiske Holding told Reuters.

The remaining four members of the crew are still missing and were presumed dead when local authorities halted the search for survivors late on Wednesday, CEO Stig Ervik said.

The crew consisted of 10 Spaniards, eight Russians, five Indonesians, two Peruvians and two Uruguayans, all of whom were between 30 and 58-years-old.

On Monday, the fishing boat was sailing near the Malvinas Islands in search of toothfish when it suffered a break in the hull and sank.

There were winds of up to 70 knots (about 130 kilometers) per hour and eight-meter-high waves at the time of the accident.

(With input from agencies)