Russian fishing trawler sinks in Barents Sea, 17 missing

In this photo released by Alexander Kokorin, fishing trawler Onega is moored in Arkhangelsk, Russia, Oct. 31, 2020. Russian emergency officials say a Russian fishing trawler has sank in the northern Barents Sea and 17 of its crew have gone missing. They say two crew members have been rescued. The Russian Investigative Committee said the vessel with 19 crew on board capsized and sank on Monday morning, Dec. 28, 2020. (Alexander Kokorin via AP) (Alexander Kokorin, Alexander Kokorin)

MOSCOW – A Russian fishing trawler sank Monday in the northern Barents Sea and 17 of its crew are still missing, emergency officials said. Two other crew members have been rescued.

According to a statement by the Russian Investigative Committee, the vessel with 19 crew members on board capsized and sank on Monday morning. A criminal probe into the incident has been launched and a search operation is underway.

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Several vessels and an aircraft have been deployed to look for the missing crew members, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia’s Emergency Ministry initially suggested that an accumulation of the ice on the trawler could have caused it to sink, but later said the vessel was more likely to have heeled over while pulling up the fishing nets, "scooped up water and sank.”