VLADIVOSTOK, December 8 (Sputnik) — Heavy storms are hampering the search for the crew of sunken South Korean trawler Oryong-501 for the third day running, Artur Rets, head of the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky maritime rescue service, told RIA Novosti on Monday.
"All vessels involved in the search were grounded due to the storm. One Russian vessel was close to the search area, but no one has been found due to the storm," Rets said.
According to Rets, wind speeds reached 25 meters per second and waves peaked at five meters. "Tuesday's forecast is also not optimistic, stormy weather will persist," he said. Operations over the weekend were suspended due to violent storms.
4 December 2014, 08:23 GMT
The South Korean fishing trawler sank off the coast of Russia's Bering Sea in the Far East last Monday. Seven crew members – three Indonesians, three Filipinos and one Russian – have been rescued, while 27 bodies have been recovered. Twenty-six South Korean, Indonesian and Philippine nationals remain missing.
Rets added that all bodies recovered have been handed over to South Korea's Oyang-96 from Russia's Karolina-77 and Zaliv Zabiyaka ships Monday. The survivors were also transferred to the South Korean vessel.
