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| Russian oil rig search: 'raft seen carrying people' | Russian oil rig search: 'raft seen carrying people' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A life raft has been spotted carrying people off Russia's far eastern coast, a day after an oil rig capsized in icy seas, according to the rig's owner. | A life raft has been spotted carrying people off Russia's far eastern coast, a day after an oil rig capsized in icy seas, according to the rig's owner. |
| A spokesman said it was impossible to say whether or not they were alive. But the report was disputed by Russian government officials. | |
| The Kolskaya drilling rig, carrying 67 people, sank in the Sea of Okhotsk on Sunday. Fourteen survivors were found. | The Kolskaya drilling rig, carrying 67 people, sank in the Sea of Okhotsk on Sunday. Fourteen survivors were found. |
| Five rafts were spotted earlier, but all of them were empty. | Five rafts were spotted earlier, but all of them were empty. |
| Around 15 people were said to have been on the raft, seen by rescue aircraft on Monday, but it was unclear whether they were dead or alive, shipping company owner Yuri Melikhov told Interfax news agency. | Around 15 people were said to have been on the raft, seen by rescue aircraft on Monday, but it was unclear whether they were dead or alive, shipping company owner Yuri Melikhov told Interfax news agency. |
| But a regional emergency ministry official said he knew of no such report. | |
| "No information has come into our emergency headquarters about finding a raft with people on it," Sergey Viktorov told Interfax. | |
| The rig went down in high winds and rough seas 200km (120 miles) off Sakhalin Island as it was was being towed from the eastern peninsula of Kamchatka by an icebreaker and a tug. | |
| Highly skilled crews had been working on the rig and on the vessels at the time and had all the necessary materials for dealing with an emergency, Mr Melikhov said. |