Russian Fishing Vessel Catches Fire in Sea of Japan

On June 4, the Russian-flagged fishing vessel Iceberg caught fire while sailing through the Sea of Japan with 17 crew members onboard. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The blaze broke out around 6:40 a.m. local time as the vessel was traveling from the Port of Zarubino, Russia, to South Korea. All crew members safely evacuated the ship using two life rafts and were later rescued by the Ostrov Iony, a refrigerated cargo ship that responded to the emergency call.

The Ostrov Iony, which was headed to the Port of Busan, South Korea, is expected to disembark the rescued crew there. According to reports, all 17 individuals are in good condition and did not require medical assistance.

After the crew was safely evacuated, the Iceberg was left adrift with no visible lighting. In response to the incident, Russia’s regional Transport Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation to examine adherence to maritime safety protocols.