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Rescuers bring 675 anglers from drifting ice-floe to Sakhalin coast, completing rescue operation

The operation on rescuing anglers has been completed on Sakhalin
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

KHABAROVSK, April 1 (Itar-Tass) — The operation on rescuing anglers has been completed on Sakhalin. A total of 675 people were brought to the coast from an ice-floe, drifting in the Sea of Okhotsk, Itar-Tass learnt at the Far Eastern regional centre of the Russian Ministry for Emergencies.

The inspection of the area in question from air and with boats showed that all people were rescued from the ice-floe.

A report that an ice-floe with anglers off the coastal village of Vzmorye, Sakhalin, is drifting to high seas, was received by the Sakhalin branch of the ministry at around 12.00 local time. According to preliminary information, there were around 400 people on the ice-floe, but it turned out later that the number was much greater.

The rescue operation involved helicopters, eight boats, including hovercraft, Itar-Tass learnt at the Russian Ministry for Emergencies.

The regional centre specified that “a helicopter of the coastguard agency arrived at the area of the incident at the final stage of the operation”. The centre noted that out of the total, 335 anglers were rescued by a helicopter of the ministry and only 25 by the helicopter of the coastguard agency.