Twelve anglers were rescued during a rescue operation in the Sea of Okhotsk, and two are missing, the Sakhalin regional branch of the Russian Ministry for Emergencies said on Sunday. According to preliminary data, there were 15 people on an ice floe, drifting into the Sea of Okhotsk. Ignoring a warning about fragile ice, they went on angling on Saturday, Itar-Tass reported. Rescuers also received information early this morning that a crew of a boat with three people aboard, including a rescuer, did not phone in time. It was established that the boat spotted three anglers on an ice floe whom it took aboard and headed for the shore. The boat capsized under conditions of poor visibility, a blizzard and rough sea. When it was spotted, there were only two people next to it - a rescuer and an angler. They were brought to the shore. A search is in progress to find four missing people, including two boat members. Sea temperature is around zero degrees Centigrade, and according to specialists, people can stay alive at least three-five minutes under such temperatures. A Mi-8 copter flew from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk to the Makarovsky district. As many as 54 people and 19 units of machinery are involved in the rescue operation.
