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Active phase of Shans-101 boat crew over

Of the fishing vessel’s 30 crewmembers 14 people survived, one died and 15 are missing
Photo ITAR-TASS, Administration of fishing collective farm "Vostok-1"
Photo ITAR-TASS, Administration of fishing collective farm "Vostok-1"

VLADIVOSTOK, January 31 (Itar-Tass) – The active phase of the search for missing fishermen from the Shans-101 crab boat that shipwrecked in the Sea of ··Japan (East Sea) on the night on January 26 has been completed. Of the fishing vessel’s 30 crewmembers 14 people survived, one died and 15 are missing. On Thursday the search for them will be continued by ships passing the Shans-101 catastrophe area, the press service of the Far Eastern Regional Centre of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM) reported.

The capsized crab boat is still afloat, only the Altas sea rescue ship of the Sakhalin Basin Emergency Rescue Administration is staying next to the distressed vessel. The Atlas has the task to tow the Shans-101 boat to shallow waters, as the boat that is drifting upward keel poses a major danger to other navigating vessels. The shipwreck occurred at a distance of 50 kilometres from the coast of the Primorsky Territory in the area of intensive shipping.

The Shans-101 crab boat has displacement of 640 tonnes, the vessel built in South Korea in 1988. The ship is owned by the Vostok-1 fishing farm, which is based in Vladivostok. The Shans-101 was one of the best fishing vessels in the farm’s fleet, according to publications. The crew of the Shans-101 boast comprised 30 people - 19 citizens of Russia and 11 Indonesian citizens.

The press service of the Transport Ministry reported that “when the weather improves it is planned with the help of by divers to put a tow rope on the distressed vessel and tow her to shallow waters.” The Shans-101 crab boats and the Atlas ships are currently in an area where the sea depth reaches more than one kilometre. There are about 60 tonnes of fuel in the holds of the capsized crab boat, but there is no fuel leak.