VIDEO: Russian Ship Aground in Japan, 18 Evacuated

Youtube Some 18 people were evacuated from a Panama-flagged cargo ship after it ran aground on Sunday, December 10 on a breakwater at the approach to the Japanese Sakata port, the Sakata Coast Guard said. The Russian ship has been identified as the City and had left the Russian port of Nakhodka and arrived in Akita prefecture, where it was partly unloaded, TASS news agency reports. The ship proceeded to South Korea, however it was grounded as it succumbed to inclement weather. The ship sustained considerable damage to its hull and started taking in water causing the ship to list. As the crew feared the ship might sink they requested assistance and the local cost guard dispatched a helicopter to the scene to airlift the crew from the distressed vessel. According to preliminary info, there were no injuries reported to the crew of Russian and Bangladeshi nationals. The Panama-flagged cargo ship is managed by Russian company Jessy Shipping. World Maritime News Staff