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Fishermen stranded for second day as boat runs aground in Barents Sea

The rescue effort was delayed for 24 hours due to a storm in the area

MURMANSK, November 29. /TASS/. Fishermen of a small vessel that ran aground off the Rybachiy Peninsula in the Barents Sea are stranded for a second day, the chief of the Northern expedition unit in charge of the rescue effort said on Tuesday.

Eight people managed to reach a nearby sea cliff and are currently staying near a weather station. None of them were injured, but they are suffering from serious shock. The vessel apparently hit rocks on Monday and an SOS signal was sent out at 7 a.m.

The rescuers failed to reach the fishermen as there is no accessible road because of the snow, and they cannot go there by the sea due to the poor weather conditions. The rescue effort was delayed for 24 hours due to a storm in the area.

"The distressed individuals are in a warm room near the weather station, they have food and water. The rescue operation is due to be carried out at around 10 a.m. tomorrow," Leontyev said.

In another incident on Monday, the Runo fishing boat, with eight people onboard, was in distress in the Barents Sea. The trawl got entangled around a propeller and went off course in the eastern part of the sea during the storm. The vessel continued fishing after divers helped to unravel the propeller.