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Japanese schooner burns down, sinks in La Perouse Strait

At the time of reporting, the reasons of the accident were still not known

VLADIVOSTOK, April 20 (Itar-Tass) — Japanese schooner Siju Maru 18 burned down in a fire and sank Friday morning in La Perouse Strait that separates the Russian island of Sakhalin and the Japanese island of Hokkaido, the Vladivostok-based Maritime Salvage and Coordination Center said.

The small fishery ship caught blaze while entering La Perouse Strait from the Sea of Japan at approximately equal distance from the Russian and Japanese shores.

As part of routine maritime cooperation, the Japanese rescuers dispatched the information on the blazing schooner to their Russian counterparts but did not ask for any assistance in rescuing the distressed crew.

Later on, a ship of the Japanese coastal guard saved two crewmembers from aboard the schooner.

At the time of reporting, the reasons of the accident were still not known.

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