"At 9:35 a.m. Moscow time (6:35 a.m. GMT) Sunday, the rescuers of the northwestern regional search and rescue team of Russia's emergencies ministry in the Gulf of Finland set out for the villages of Bolshaya Izhora and Lebyazhye in the Lomonosov district to save fishermen drifting on an ice floe," the service said.
A total of 176 fishermen have been rescued by 2:45 p.m. Moscow time (11:45 a.m. GMT), the service said.
The search and rescue operation continues, the service said.
The regional rescue service earlier said that 152 fishermen were rescued as of 12:45 p.m. Moscow time (9:45 a.m. GMT).
On March 10, rescuers saved 15 fishermen who went drifting on three ice floes toward the Gulf of Finland Saturday morning.
Despite warnings from rescue services, catching fish from ice-holes remains a favorite pastime for Russian fishermen in winter. The latest incident occurred on the Volga in mid-January when rescuers saved more than 60 fishermen stranded on drifting ice.
