Tug boat sinking in St. Petersburg ranked as accident during construction works – Gosmorrechnadzor

Tug boat RBT-300 (owned by Atachi LLC) which sunk at the Neva river (St. Petersburg) at night on April 19, 2013 during the technological (construction) operations ordered by Pilon CJSC is not ranked as transport accident as the navigation of 2013 has not been announced at the Neva yet, IAA PortNews learnt from the North West branch of the State supervisory department for sea and river transport (Gosmorrechnadzor) .

Construction works arranged by the city in the water area of the Neva beyond the navigation period are not regulated by the transport legislation. The Neva is the federal transport route only when it is open to navigation. 

According to Gosmorrechnadzor, the tug boat did not crash into the bridge pillar, it was pressed against the left-bank span of the Palace Bridge with strong current and then capsized. The overkeeled vessel floated for 220 meters and sank 75 meters from the bank at the depth of 12 meters. 

As it was reported earlier, no information is available about the crew of two persons so far. Emergency Ministry personnel are searching for people. The sunken tug boat will be lifted by Pilon CJSC.

Pilon CJSC is a contractor of the Palace Bridge repair works in St. Petersburg. The company earlier said it would be impossible to complete repairs by first open water scheduled for late April. The first bridge raising is expected to be held after May 20, 2013. 

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Tug boat crashed into Palace Bridge pillar in St. Petersburg and sank, 2 people lost (photo) >>>>