Rescue workers are attempting to save a group of 15 fishermen adrift on an ice floe in Russia's Far East, an emergencies ministry spokeperson said on Saturday.
The "ice-fishermen" had ignored warnings that ice was breaking up in the Sakhalin Region.
Adverse weather conditions have complicated the rescue operation, which involves 28 people.
Ice-fishing, which involves drilling a hole in the ice, is extremely popular in Russia. The rescue services are often called out to save fisherman who have got into difficulties.
Last year, in west Russia's Kaliningrad, a group of fishermen who were stranded on an ice floe asked rescuers to "save them slowly" as the fish in the area had begun to bite.
MOSCOW, March 13 (RIA Novosti)
