A district in Russia’s Sakhalin region has been put on high alert after a Chinese cargo ship ran aground off the southwest coast of Sakhalin Island, the governor of the region in Russia’s Far East announced early on 9 February.
The vessel, identified as the Chinese bulk carrier “An Yang 2,” was carrying 20 crew members, along with 700 tons of fuel oil, 100 tons of diesel fuel, and 1,000 tons of coal. Authorities reported that no fuel spillage had been recorded, and there was no immediate threat to the crew, Reuters reports.
However, the situation necessitated readiness for any potential scenario, according to the governor, Valery Limarenko, via the Telegram messaging app.
The ship became stranded in the shallow waters off Sakhalin’s Nevelsky district, prompting the declaration of a high alert status in the area. Limarenko later confirmed that marine and diving rescuers were unable to approach the vessel due to severe storm conditions.
The governor stated that decisions on unloading the vessel or refloating it would be made once weather conditions improved, Reuters notes.
