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Russia thanks Estonia, Finland for help in saving Russian sailors

A shipwreck occurred off Estonia last night

MOSCOW, February 7. /TASS/. Russia’s Foreign Ministry has thanked the rescue services of Estonia and Finland for prompt assistance extended to Russian sailors, who suffered a shipwreck off Estonia last night.

"In an overnight incident on February 6-7 Russia’s fishing boat The Pongoma (with a crew of seven, all Russian citizens, port of registration St. Petersburg) sank off Estonia," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "All necessary measures were taken to rescue the Russian sailors: two are in the hospital in Helsinki. Five have been discharged from a hospital in Tallinn. Their lives are not at risk. We express gratitude to the Finnish and Estonian rescue services for their prompt and professional assistance."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that consular officials of Russian embassies in Finland and Estonia maintained permanent contact with the shipwreck survivors.

"The ship’s owner has been contacted for determining the procedure of taking the Russians back home," the Foreign Ministry said.

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