Weather delays salvage of stricken South Korean trawler
The salvage ship Rubin owned by Sakhalin Basin Emergency Department failed to continue the operation started on Dec. 12, to rescue the grounded South Korean Oriental Angel due to bad weather. According to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre wind speed in the area exceeds 28-30 m / s, wave height is 3.5-4 m.
An earlier report said the trawler’s cargo holds laden with fish meal took fire on Nov. 17 when the ship was in the Bering Sea. While the Oriental Angel was heading for the Beringovsky settlement of Anadyr district, the crew members were trying unsuccessfully to put out the fire. As a result, 89 sailors were forced to board liferafts and leave the burning ship. Later the people were picked up by vessels, which happened to be in the area. The abandoned ship hove to and at 11:00 am, Nov. 20 ran aground near the Cape of Voyenny Topography.
The South Korean vessel’s owner Keuk Dong Fisheries Co., Ltd has applied to the Chukotka government for assistance in salvage of the stricken ship.