This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/02/dozens-die-as-russian-trawler-sinks-in-the-sea-of-okhotsk

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Dozens die as Russian trawler sinks in the Sea of Okhotsk Dozens die as Russian trawler sinks in the Sea of Okhotsk
(about 1 hour later)
At least 56 sailors have been killed after a Russian fishing trawler sank in the Sea of Okhotsk, raising questions about whether the owner and crew had cut too many corners in pursuit of a big catch.At least 56 sailors have been killed after a Russian fishing trawler sank in the Sea of Okhotsk, raising questions about whether the owner and crew had cut too many corners in pursuit of a big catch.
The Dalny Vostok (Far East) sank at 6.29am local time on Thursday about 250km (155 miles) south of the city of Magadan, killing 56 of 132 crew members on board, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.The Dalny Vostok (Far East) sank at 6.29am local time on Thursday about 250km (155 miles) south of the city of Magadan, killing 56 of 132 crew members on board, Russia’s emergencies ministry said.
Rescuers were reportedly able to save 63 crew members, many of them suffering from hypothermia after being in the near-freezing water. Fifteen were reported missing. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, expressed his condolences and ordered all necessary measures be taken to help the survivors.Rescuers were reportedly able to save 63 crew members, many of them suffering from hypothermia after being in the near-freezing water. Fifteen were reported missing. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, expressed his condolences and ordered all necessary measures be taken to help the survivors.
Officials suggested that the crew had accidentally capsized the vessel, which was ageing and overcrowded.Officials suggested that the crew had accidentally capsized the vessel, which was ageing and overcrowded.
Sakhalin regional investigative committee official Dmitry Khaibriyev told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda that investigators suspected the “violation of ship operation safety rules by the owner and the navigation personnel, as well as the unsatisfactory technical condition of the ship”. A Sakhalin regional investigative official Dmitry Khaibriyev told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda that investigators suspected the “violation of ship operation safety rules by the owner and the navigation personnel, as well as the unsatisfactory technical condition of the ship”.
Oleg Kozhemyako, the acting governor of Sakhalin island, where the ship was based, told LifeNews television that he thought “there was a violation of rules when it comes to overload and balancing of the vessel”.Oleg Kozhemyako, the acting governor of Sakhalin island, where the ship was based, told LifeNews television that he thought “there was a violation of rules when it comes to overload and balancing of the vessel”.
The ship reportedly sank so quickly that the crew did not have time to send out an official SOS signal. Two trawlers belonging to the Pileng fishing company were among the first to arrive at the scene after they received radio messages that the Dalny Vostok was sinking, general director Vasily Velmeskin told Komsomolskaya Pravda. They began pulling survivors and bodies from half-inflated life rafts and out of the water.The ship reportedly sank so quickly that the crew did not have time to send out an official SOS signal. Two trawlers belonging to the Pileng fishing company were among the first to arrive at the scene after they received radio messages that the Dalny Vostok was sinking, general director Vasily Velmeskin told Komsomolskaya Pravda. They began pulling survivors and bodies from half-inflated life rafts and out of the water.
According to Velmeskin, Dalny Vostok crew members told their rescuers that the heavily laden ship had begun leaning by 10 degrees to one side after pulling up a net full of fish. The crew attempted to balance the ship by pumping fuel to the other side, but did not have enough to level out. “They gave the command to go for refuelling. They went to turn and the ship tipped over,” he said.According to Velmeskin, Dalny Vostok crew members told their rescuers that the heavily laden ship had begun leaning by 10 degrees to one side after pulling up a net full of fish. The crew attempted to balance the ship by pumping fuel to the other side, but did not have enough to level out. “They gave the command to go for refuelling. They went to turn and the ship tipped over,” he said.
The ship was carrying 1,150 tonnes of fish, but had only 50 tonnes of fuel, Velmeskin said. “That’s a loss of stability. You can’t allow that,” he said.The ship was carrying 1,150 tonnes of fish, but had only 50 tonnes of fuel, Velmeskin said. “That’s a loss of stability. You can’t allow that,” he said.
Russia’s investigative committee said another possible cause was that the ship had struck an ice floe, tearing a hole in the hull. Other reports suggested the weather had been bad in the notoriously rough Sea of Okhotsk and an Mi-8 helicopter was not able to evacuate survivors from a temporary hospital on board a nearby ship due to strong winds. Russia’s main federal investigator, the Investigative Committee, said another possible cause was that the ship had struck an ice floe, tearing a hole in the hull. Other reports suggested the weather had been bad in the notoriously rough Sea of Okhotsk and an helicopter had been unable to evacuate survivors from a temporary hospital on board a nearby ship due to strong winds.
But Velmeskin said the ice floes were not significant and that the weather had been manageable when the ship went down. Footage taken from an emergency ministry helicopter searching for survivors showed clear and calm weather as other trawlers steamed toward the area of the accident. But Velmeskin said the ice floes were not significant and that the weather had been manageable when the ship went down. Footage taken from an emergency ministry helicopter searching for survivors showed clear and calm weather as other trawlers steamed towards the area of the accident.
Igor Kovalchuk, deputy chairman of the Seafarers Union of Russia, told the Guardian that ships capsizing in such a manner as described by Velmeskin was a “frequent occurrence”. “If you turn sharply and the ship is unstable, it can turn over very easily,” he said.Igor Kovalchuk, deputy chairman of the Seafarers Union of Russia, told the Guardian that ships capsizing in such a manner as described by Velmeskin was a “frequent occurrence”. “If you turn sharply and the ship is unstable, it can turn over very easily,” he said.
Dalny Vostok was built in what is now Ukraine in 1989 and was initially operated by the Soviet fishing ministry. With proper maintenance, such boats can serve for up to 40 years, but Kovalchuk said many ships of this generation had already been scrapped. The Dalny Vostok was built in what is now Ukraine in 1989 and was initially operated by the Soviet fishing ministry. With proper maintenance, such boats can serve for up to 40 years, but Kovalchuk said many ships of this generation had already been scrapped.
Employees of the Russian company Magellan, which bought the ship in December 2014, told Komsomalskaya Pravda that the ship had not been insured.Employees of the Russian company Magellan, which bought the ship in December 2014, told Komsomalskaya Pravda that the ship had not been insured.
The high number of casualties raised speculation that the ship had been overcrowded and possibly did not have enough safety equipment for everyone on board. The ship is only designed to carry a crew of 94, Rossiya 24 television reported, but was carrying 78 Russians and 54 foreign nationals from Myanmar, Ukraine, Latvia and Vanuatu.The high number of casualties raised speculation that the ship had been overcrowded and possibly did not have enough safety equipment for everyone on board. The ship is only designed to carry a crew of 94, Rossiya 24 television reported, but was carrying 78 Russians and 54 foreign nationals from Myanmar, Ukraine, Latvia and Vanuatu.
According to Kovalchuk, Russian trawlers such as the Dalny Vostok, which clean and freeze fish on board, often illegally take on foreign labourers at sea to get around cumbersome labour migration regulations. “If they put people on illegally, I’m not confident that there were enough safety devices,” he said.According to Kovalchuk, Russian trawlers such as the Dalny Vostok, which clean and freeze fish on board, often illegally take on foreign labourers at sea to get around cumbersome labour migration regulations. “If they put people on illegally, I’m not confident that there were enough safety devices,” he said.
The work on such trawlers is grueling and often tires the men, adding to the risk factor, Kovalchuk said. Crews sometimes stay at sea for as long as nine months and crew members typically work eight hours a day at their main duty plus an extra two to three hours cleaning fish. Since salaries are tied to how much fish is caught, they often push themselves to the maximum. The work on such trawlers is gruelling and often tires the men, adding to the risk factor, Kovalchuk said. Crews sometimes stay at sea for as long as nine months and crew members typically work eight hours a day at their main duty plus an extra two to three hours cleaning fish. Since salaries are tied to how much fish is caught, they often push themselves to the maximum.
Francisco Gonzalez, a Spanish photographer who worked as an interpreter during five expeditions on Soviet trawlers of the same make as the Dalny Vostok between 1983-87, told the Guardian that the work was highly dangerous. Francisco Gonzalez, a Spanish photographer who worked as an interpreter during five expeditions on Soviet trawlers of the same make as the Dalny Vostok between 1983 and 1987, told the Guardian that the work was highly dangerous.
“If they had rough seas, which most surely they had, plus a huge catch that they tried to empty, they probably capsized because of that,” he said. “Plus if they had icing of the ship because of weather, that adds to the instability.”“If they had rough seas, which most surely they had, plus a huge catch that they tried to empty, they probably capsized because of that,” he said. “Plus if they had icing of the ship because of weather, that adds to the instability.”
“The sea is dangerous no matter what, especially the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.”“The sea is dangerous no matter what, especially the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea.”