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Ship with over 100 on board being evacuated in Siberian river Ship with over 100 on board being evacuated in Siberian river
(35 minutes later)
Rescuers with two helicopters are evacuating the 98 passengers and 11 crew members on board a Russian ship that ran aground in the middle of the great Siberian river Lena while on the way to the city of Yakutsk.Rescuers with two helicopters are evacuating the 98 passengers and 11 crew members on board a Russian ship that ran aground in the middle of the great Siberian river Lena while on the way to the city of Yakutsk.
The ship “Stepan Arzhakov” ran aground some eight kilometers from the village of Batamai. The vessel was washed ashore due to strong early morning crosswinds, Russia’s Emergency Ministry said, as cited by RIA Novosti. The vessel was carrying passengers from the village of Zhigansk to Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. Mi-8 helicopters were sent to evacuate the passengers.“Two helicopters will evacuate the ship’s passengers to the left bank of the Lena River to the village of Bulus, Namsky district, then the evacuees will be brought by four buses to Yakutsk,” EMERCOM said in a statement. The ship “Stepan Arzhakov” ran aground some eight kilometers from the village of Batamai. The vessel was washed ashore due to strong early morning crosswinds, Russia’s Emergency Ministry said, as cited by RIA Novosti. The vessel was carrying passengers from the village of Zhigansk to Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. Mi-8 helicopters were sent to evacuate the passengers.
The rescue plan was promptly drafted at an emergency response committee meeting in Yakutsk, EMERCOM said. First, a Mi-8 helicopter from the Khabarovsk aviation rescue center will take children and elderly passengers to ground. It is aided by the second aircraft with Sakha Republic rescuers on board, which was provided by the Polar Airlines. The rescuers say they will evacuate all passengers and crew in five flights.The rescued people will then be provided with temporary accommodation, psychological help and a hot meal in a nearby village, before being bussed to Yakutsk. Overall, 49 people and eight equipment units are taking part in the operation. “Two helicopters will evacuate the ship’s passengers to the left bank of the Lena River to the village of Bulus, Namsky district, then the evacuees will be brought by four buses to Yakutsk,” EMERCOM said in a statement.
The rescue plan was promptly drafted at an emergency response committee meeting in Yakutsk, EMERCOM said. First, a Mi-8 helicopter from the Khabarovsk aviation rescue center will take children and elderly passengers to ground. It is aided by the second aircraft with Sakha Republic rescuers on board, which was provided by the Polar Airlines.
There are reportedly many children and elderly people among the passengers.
“The people’s evacuation has been organized, there are many elderly people and children,” the local emergency services said in a statement, as cited by TASS.
The rescuers say they will evacuate all passengers and crew in five flights. So far, three flights have been made.
The rescued people will then be provided with temporary accommodation, psychological help and a hot meal in a nearby village, before being bussed to Yakutsk. Overall, 49 people and eight equipment units are taking part in the operation.
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