82 fishermen rescued from broken ice floe off far eastern Russian island

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Eighty-two fishermen were rescued by emergency services on Sunday after being stranded on a broken ice floe off the coast of Russia’s far eastern island of Sakhalin.

An ice floe 50 meters (164 feet) wide broke off in the Sea of Okhotsk near the village of Starodubskoye, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said on Telegram.

Saying that the fishermen were located after the floe drifted a kilometer from shore, the statement added that 14 rescuers, as well as boats and an Mi-8 helicopter, took part in rescue efforts.

“82 people were evacuated and brought ashore. There were no casualties,” a later statement said, adding that rescue operations were completed.​​​​​​​