Russian Trawler On Fire Off Sakhalin Coast

The Russian rescue craft Atlas has set out for La Perouse Strait that separates Sakhalin from the Japanese island of Hokkaido to extinguish fire on board the vessel Safil-1. The engine room of Safil-1, a fishing trawler belonging to the Sakhalin-based company Safil, caught fire on the night of December 27th. All 26 crew members were safely evacuated and are bound for the Sakhalin port of Korsakov on board the motorship Dmitry Peskov. The rescue operation was conducted by Russian ships in the presence of Japanese patrol vessels. Fire is still raging on board the Safil-1, which was placed under surveillance of two Japanese coast guard vessels and the ship Vyshegorsk. The cause of the fire has not been known so far.