Korean Vessel with 13 Pinoy Crew Sinks Off Russia

Moscow/Seoul – A South Korean fishing vessel sank in the Bering Sea off the coast of Russia’s far eastern Chukotka region, report said on Monday. The incident killed one person, while the fate of more than 50 others, including 13 Filipinos, was unknown.

Artur Rets, the head of the maritime rescue service in Russia’s far eastern port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky said that
when the fish were being hauled in, the vessel was hit by a wave. The South Korean vessel Oriong-501 had sunk at 0530 GMT.

Rets reportedly said rescuers had managed to pull eight people out of the water so far, including one who had died.

“According to our data there were 62 people on board,” Rets said. “The fate of the others is not known.”

The South Korean fisheries ministry said the 36-year-old vessel operated by Sajo Industries had 60 people on board, including the Filipinos, a Russian, 11 South Koreans and 35 Indonesians, report said.

Report said the dead person was initially identified as a South Korean and that those rescued included the Russian.

It added that the rescue operation was hampered by bad weather conditions.

Source: GMA News Online

Image Credit: www.maritime-executive.com