The rescue ship Murman has arrived at the anchorage of the research vessel Akademik Nikolay Strakhov, whose engine had stopped working and it was taken under tow, the press service of the Ministry of Education and Science reported on the Telegram channel.
“After discussing the details of the upcoming operation with the captain of the Murman, it was decided to evacuate the scientific personnel, waiting for more favorable weather conditions… at 20:00 (19 September) the convoy began to move towards the port of Murmansk. At the moment, the speed of the ships is 4-5 knots (approximately 7.4-9.3 km/h).” — said the NIS captain Alexei Ardashkin.
Once the rescue operation is over, a commission will be set up to clarify all the circumstances surrounding the situation on the ship.
The purpose of the 58th voyage of the ship “Akademik Nikolai Strakhov” was to conduct research on the shelf of the Barents and Kara Seas, as well as in the Laptev Sea, the press service said.
On the eighth day of the expedition, the ship’s main engine failed. It anchored in the Kara Sea, 20 miles northeast of Bely Island. There were 40 people on board. It consists of 27 crew members, a captain and 12 scientists. The rescue operation could not be carried out earlier due to the storm.
