Rescuers Examine Half-Sunk Cargo Vessel Cast Ashore Kuril Islands

VLADIVOSTOK. March 24. VOSTOK-MEDIA – The Yuzhno Sakhalinsk Maritime Rescue Coordination Center told Vostok-Media the divers that arrived to the half-sunk Labrador cargo vessel onboard the Rubin rescue boat have already commenced examination of the breach in the ship’s hull.

The rescuers and the crew have already conducted examination of the engine room and the holds below the water-line. The engine room was found partially flooded. All necessary steps to salvage the Labrador will be taken following the assessment of the extent of the hull damage.

The Russian refrigerator ship Labrador was blown ashore the Iturup Island on March 22. The ship carrying frozen fish was sailing to Vladivostok from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. When the ship came to the Iturup Island to pick up fish cargo it ran into a severe storm and was cast ashore in Prostor Bay.

The crew members were safely evacuated by Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Coast Guard whaleboat. There are 17 tons of heavy and diesel fuel on board the ship. The ship’s tanks are intact and no oil spills reported.