Vladivostok Novosti Company
January 25, 2008

Russian ship missing in East China Sea

Combined reports

A joint search effort is underway to locate a Russian cargo ship missing in the East China Sea, news reports cited a statement from Vladivostok’s Marine Rescue Center as saying Friday.

The Kapitan Uskov, with a crew of 17, was traveling from Primorye’s port of Nakhodka to the Chinese port of Hong Kong with a 4.5-ton cargo of rolled metal. The vessel was scheduled to have arrived at its destination on Thursday but has not sent any radio signals since January 20.

The search is currently being performed by Russian vessels Vladivostok, Kapitan Lyubchenko and Treider, a statement from the center said.

Two planes and two cutters of Japan’s coastal patrol are also involved in the operation, Itar-tass reported. On Thursday, the patrol’s aircraft monitored the area from where the ship sent its last radio signal, 212 miles off the port of Shanghai. The search, however, brought no results.

Ships in the distress area, as well as rescue and coordinating centers in China, S. Korea and Japan, have been informed of the missing vessel, a statement from Marine Rescue Center of Russia’s Transport Ministry said.
Other materials of this Issue:
Russian athletes to train for Olympic Games in Primorye
Far Eastern Customs reveals annual results
Primorye, S. Korea discuss economic prospects
4 Ships ice-locked in Sea of Okhotsk
Internet date turns into murder
Ask the water, ask the salt
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