A coast guard helicopter flies over empty Italian tanker Gelso M that ran aground on rocks in bad weather on the Sicilian coast, near Siracusa March 10, 2012.  [Photo\Agencies]

ROME - An empty Italian tanker ran aground on rocks in bad weather off the Sicilian coast on Saturday and all 19 crew members were rescued, the coastguard said.

The 127-metre-long (415-feet-long) Gelso M was heading for the Sicilian port of Augusta, home of an oil refinery and chemical complex, to take on fuel.

The coastguard said the tanker, listed as an oil/chemical tanker, was not carrying cargo at the time of the accident.

The ship had taken on water in its engine room and plans were being made to move it from the rocks, the coastguard said.