Four Russian Ships Run Aground In Pacific Ocean Over The Week

The rescue operation to bring afloat the steamer Bulunkan of the Arctic steamship company was launched in northern Primorye in Svetlaya bay on Monday. The Vladivostok centre for coordinating rescue operations at sea reported that the ocean rescue tug-boat Atlas has arrived from the Vanino commercial sea port for the Buluknan's rescue. The rescue teams are unloading the cargo from the steamer which ran aground in stormy weather on December 13. The bulk-carrier got its fuel tanks and bilge damaged, so it will have to refrain from its course to Japan and will head for the Primorye shipyards in Nakhodka instead. Last week saw a record number of incidents with ships in the Russian waters of the Pacific ocean. Apart from the Bulunkan, another three ships ran aground in stormy weather. Thus, the lumber carrier Lider staying off the port Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky ran aground on Sunday. The rescue tug-boat Irbis has left for the lumber carrier's rescue. As soon as good weather sets in, the operation to rescue the fishing trawler Pacific Ocean of a Maritime collective farm will be resumed. The trawler ran aground near the island of Anuchin in South Kurils. A snow cyclone halted the operation to get afloat the fishing trawler Kibartai in Avachi bay. No one of some 90 crewmembers was hit in any of the four incidents.