Russia regrets sinking Chinese ship

by israeli.agent | February 22, 2009 at 05:53 pm

173 views | 2 Recommendations | 0 comments

Update on this story.

Russia defends sinking Chinese ship.

'Deliberate violation'

Border guards began chasing the New Star in icy waters after it left Nakhodka on 12 February without permission, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday.

According to the statement, the guards fired on the cargo ship only after its captain had ignored all warnings - including warning shots - for 18 hours.

It said the captain then said he was returning to Nakhodka, but later decided to evacuate his crew, saying the ship's main engine had stopped and the rudder broken.

Eight crew - seven Chinese nationals and one Indonesian - died on 15 February after taking to the stormy waters in an open raft.

The Russian border guards rescued five Indonesians and three Chinese from another - closed - raft.

Source : BBC News

Russia expresses regret on the incident of sinking a Chinese cargo ship New
Star. But the Russian decence sources blamed the responsibility on the sunk ship's captain who - according to the Russian foreign ministry - acted "Irresponsibly, deliberately violating the Russian waters and by doing that putting the safety of the crew in jeopardy".

Seven Chinese sailors are missing after a Chinese cargo ship sank in Russian waters near Japan on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

"Three of the 10 Chinese sailors onboard were saved but seven are still missing after the ship sank off the waters of Vladivostok," it said in a statement on its website.

The ministry didn't mention the cause of the incident, saying rescue efforts and an investigation into the incident are ongoing.

But the Global Times, a Chinese language newspaper based in Beijing, said yesterday the ship was fired on by the Russian navy before it sank, citing a Russian newspaper.

Source : Chinadaily