ANADYR, December 1. /TASS/. The search for sailors from South Korean trawler Oryong 501 which sank off Russia’s far eastern Chukotka peninsula will continue all night long despite darkness and stormy weather. The decision was taken by the captain of Russian trawler Karolina-77 which supervises the grouping of vessels searching for the trawler, chief of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky maritime rescue department at Russia’s federal agency of sea-and river-going transport Artur Rets told TASS.

“It was decided to continue the search while there are some chances to find someone alive,” he said, adding that the water temperature in the ship’s wreckage area is about zero.

All saved foreign sailors and a Russian fishing supervising inspector are feeling satisfactory on board being saved by Russian fishing vessels Karolina-77 and Zaliv Zabiyaka, the senior rescue official said, noting that their possible evacuation to the nearest settlement would be decided on Tuesday.

Four Russian fishing vessels, namely Karolina-77, Zaliv Zabiyaka, Pelageal and Astronom are searching for missing sailors. These ships interrupted their fishing for an urgent search-and-rescue operation.

Winds reach 25-27 meters per second and waves are from five to six meters high in the area of the accident, 100 nautical miles away from Chukotka’s Navarin Cape south of Anadyr Bay.

According to preliminary reports, trawler Oryong 501 registered at South Korean port city of Pusan gave a leak when heaving in the trawl net and started sinking quickly. Sixty-two happened to be in the chilly water. They are citizens of Asian countries, including South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia, as well as the Russian inspector. He and six more sailors were saved. One sailor died of hyperthermia, the fate of 54 is unclear.

Trawler Oryong 501 displacing 1,753 tons belongs to South Korean fishing company Sajo Industries.