Russian Embassy negotiating with US State Department on Russian trawler

The Russian Embassy in Washington is constantly in contact with the USDepartment of State regarding the question of the arrest of the Russiantrawler Viitna. At the same time, the General Consulate of the RussianFederation in Seattle is rendering assistance to the vessel's crew, theinformation and press department of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.The fishing vessel Viitna, detained by the US coast guard on September 5,is currently located in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. US authorities have informedthe Russian Foreign Ministry that they initiated a court investigation. Thecaptain and the crew are accused of unauthorized fishing in the UnitedStates' exclusive economic zone. The settlement of the question around thearrest of the trawler has shifted to the legal sphere; the process ofgathering necessary documents unfolds. A lawyer has been hired to defendthe crew's interests, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported..