Disappearance of Russian schooner

Jan 9, 2011 20:10 
Moscow Time

Andrey Krainy. Photo: RIA Novosti

The crew of the schooner The Partner, which has disappeared in the Sea of Okhotsk, is most likely to be dead, declared Andrey Krainy, the head of Rosrybolovstvo, the Russian Federal Fishing  Agency.

There were 14 Russian sailors aboard The Partner.

The SOS signal from the schooner, which sailed under the Cambodian flag, was received on the 7th of January, after which the communication was broken.

According to Andrey Krainy, the sailors had no chance to survive in icy water with waves 3.5 metres high and with no wet suits and rafts.

The search for the schooner is continued.