In the waters of the Bering Sea near the village of Beringovsky (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug), the waiting stage is over - the icebreaker "Evpatiy Kolovrat" has reached the "Maria" motor ship stuck in the ice and is ready to begin the operation to free it. This was reported by the Far Eastern Transport Prosecutor's Office.
The ship was blocked by ice on January 4. There are about 20 crew members on board, whose condition is stable, and there is no threat to life or health. The chartering company has already initiated measures to organize towing, and the arrival of the icebreaker has become a key stage.
According to the supervisory authority, the crew of the ship is provided with everything necessary, and weather conditions allow for a rescue operation in normal mode. It is expected that the active phase of towing the vessel to an ice-free zone will begin in the coming hours.
"Evpatiy Kolovrat" is a diesel-electric icebreaker of project 21180M, which was officially included in the Pacific Fleet on July 26, 2024. The vessel is capable of overcoming ice up to 1.5 m thick, and has a helicopter platform in the bow. If necessary, anti-aircraft artillery installations can be installed on the icebreaker.