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14 die, 14 rescued, fate of others from Kolskaya rig unknown

Ten dead bodies found in the area where the Kolskaya drilling rig sank in the Sea of Okhotsk are lifted aboard the vessel Smith Sakhalin

VLADIVOSTOK, December 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Ten dead bodies found in the area where the Kolskaya drilling rig sank in the Sea of Okhotsk are lifted aboard the vessel Smith Sakhalin.

Other bodies are seen from the vessel. The rescue and search operation is continuing, the press service of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's Far Eastern regional centre told Itar-Tass.

The press service also said the information that a life raft with 15 people was found was not confirmed.

The Russian Investigative Committee said that out of the 67 people who were on the drilling platform, 14 died and 14 were rescued. The fate of the others is unknown.

The floating drilling rig Kolskaya (the port of Murmansk, the owner is Arctic sea oil and gas prospecting company) sank when it was towed in the Sea of Okhotsk on December 18. It was towed by the tugboat Neftegaz 55 led by the Magadan icebreaker on the route from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Sakhalin Island.

The investigators consider as the main versions violation of the safety regulations in the towing operation and ignoring of the weather conditions. There was a severe storm in the area.

A tough legal assessment will be given to the actions of all the officials responsible for safety ensuring, regardless of ranks, a source at the investigative committee noted.

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