ARCHANGELSK, August 8. /TASS/. The Mikhail Somov research and expedition vessel has managed to free itself from a sandbank and get afloat again in waters off of the Franz Josef Land archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, Roman Ershov, head of the Northern Department for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, told TASS.

The vessel ran aground on July 24 between the Komsomol Islands and the Vilchek Land, which are part of the Franz Josef Land archipelago.

"We managed to heave off of the sandbank on our own steam," Ershov said.

The vessel remains in waters off of the archipelago and divers are now examining its hull, the official said. "We will decide at the conclusion of the inspection whether some urgent efforts are needed," Ershov said. "Then the [Mikhail] Somov will sail to Archangelsk," he added.