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Russian warships search for people from rolled over cargo vessel - defence ministry

Earlier on Sunday, the emergencies ministry said a helicopter with Russian Emergencies Ministry rescuers onboard started searching for survivors of the accident

MOSCOW, October 18. /TASS/. Warships of the Russian Pacific Fleet are searching for people from the Paramushir cargo vessel, which rolled over earlier on Sunday, spokesman of the Eastern Military District Captain 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

"The Pacific Fleet’s vessels, which now are near the Kuril Islands, are informed about the accident and search for missing people in the ocean," the officer said.

The Paramushir cargo vessel rolled over six kilometres off the Shumshu Island (Kuril Islands). The preliminary information is there were five crew members on board. The Pacific Fleet’s aviation is ready to participate in the search for the crew of the cargo vessel, which went from Severo-Kurilsk for Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the officer said.

"The military aviation is ready to participate in the search for missing people, if it is requested, and may make flights to the designated area on following days," he said.

The fleet’s anti-submarine aviation at the current time of year may spend in the air the entire light day, he said.

Earlier on Sunday, the emergencies ministry said a helicopter with Russian Emergencies Ministry rescuers onboard started searching for survivors of the accident.

The Paramushir self-propelled cargo vessel was found capsized by the passing Aldan ship on October 17. The Aldan ship’s crew found one survivor on an inflatable rescue raft. He was delivered to hospital in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. His life is out of danger, the Emergencies Ministry Kamchatka branch said. A ship with divers is expected to arrive at the wreck site at 19:00 Khabarovsk time (12:00 Moscow time) on Sunday. A total of 210 people are taking part in the rescue operation, the emergencies ministry said.