MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday extended his condolences to family and friends of 17 fishermen who were lost in the icy Barents Sea after their small fishing boat capsized in a storm.
The Onega sank off one of Russia’s numerous Arctic archipelagos near the border with Norway in one of the worst disasters in years, caused by a build-up of ice on the hull during a storm, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on its website.
The Russian anti-submarine plane Il-38 with acoustic underwater capabilities was deployed from the Northern Fleet for the search and rescue mission to rescue the fishermen. Two of the 19 crew were rescued by a nearby fishing vessel shortly after the accident.
“It was with regret and grief that I learned about the tragedy in the Barents Sea, which claimed the lives of the crew,” Mr. Putin wrote to the Governor of Murmansk, where the ship was registered. “Please convey my deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
The search for the fishermen was underway late Monday, although the Emergency Situations Ministry said rescue workers were fighting against 4-foot waves and air temperatures of minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit.