Russian trawler with 132 crew sinks, at least 43 dead

MOSCOW (AP) — A freezer trawler with an international crew of 132 sank late Wednesday in the Sea of Okhotsk off of the Kamchatka Peninsula and at least 43 crew members were killed, rescue workers said.

The emergency services in Kamchatka, citing the head of the rescue operation, said 63 crew members were rescued and the fate of the remaining 26 from the Dalny Vostok trawler was unknown.

More than 25 fishing boats in the area were helping to rescue the crew members, the emergency services said in a statement on their website.

No cause for the sinking was given. The Interfax news agency said shifting ice in the waters may have played a role.

Besides Russia, Interfax said crew members came from Latvia, Ukraine, Myanmar and Vanuatu.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-04-02

Some Overfishing Payback...

Kudos to all coming to the rescue. Hope more are found alive; that's a terrifying way to die.

BBC reporting 54 dead.

Some Overfishing Payback...

When they use the word "trawler" and report a crew of 132, I really think more of a "factory ship".

Some Overfishing Payback...

When they use the word "trawler" and report a crew of 132, I really think more of a "factory ship".

It's both.

I spent a few years working offshore in this sea - ice floes were common all the way through to June. The poor guys who are missing don't stand a chance now.

As a fellow mariner I hope they find the missing, and to the ones lost at sea..RIP. My thoughts are with them and their families.

They new that if they where still afloat and a distress call had come in , and they where the nearest ship, they would have gone to the rescue. And with that is their only hope, that others would do the same.