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Incident around detention of Russian yacht in DPRK fully settled

In the second half of the day, the vessel will get permission to leave the port after passing the necessary formalities

PYONGYANG, June 17. /TASS/. The situation around detention of the Russian yacht Katalexa by the DPRK is fully settled, the Russian Consulate General in thd city of Chongjin said on Saturday.

In the second half of the day, the vessel will get permission to leave the port after passing the necessary formalities.

All members of the crew are safe and sound. Russian Consulate General in Chongjin, Yuri Bochkarev, who held talks with DPRK border service officials on Friday, will stay in the port of Rajin until the yacht's departure.

Bochkarev also organized radio communications between the crewmembers and their families.

The Russian Consul General in Pyongyang is currently out of the zone of mobile service coverage and there is no opportunity to conact him.

DPRK officials said the yacht had been detained "owing to a misunderstanding". According to their explanation, the local fishermen had shown excessive vigilance as part of a campaign to curb poaching and reported on a ship that had ostensibly violated the country's maritime border.

The authorities gave the assurances that the incident was fully settled and the Katalexa would leave the port.'

It was detained in the Sea of Japan during ferrying from Taiwan to Russky Island in Vladivostok, the Primorsky Territory Yachting Federation told TASS. The ship has a three-strong crew.

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