Russian authorities reported that three crew members have been rescued, but four remain missing after a Russian cargo ship capsizes near the port of Korsakov, at the southern tip of Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East.
The vessel, Grigory Lovtsov, built in 2002 in Japan and under the Russian flag since 2010, measures 41 meters in length and has a gross tonnage of 200 DWT. It was transporting a load of construction materials, including sand and gravel, when the incident occurred on Friday, October 18.
Local authorities suspect the ship was overloaded. The cargo likely shifted, causing the vessel to lose stability and eventually capsize. When the Russian cargo ship capsized, three crew members were thrown overboard. A search and rescue mission recovered the sailors, who were suffering from hypothermia. One crew member has since been discharged from the hospital, but another remains in critical condition. According to unconfirmed reports, two bodies were found during the search for the missing crew members.
Governor Valery Limarenko stated that the overturned ship has been secured and is being towed to shore, where it will be pumped out for a full investigation. The governor shared updates on Telegram, where he expressed concerns over possible safety violations aboard the vessel.
Authorities noted that this is not the first time the Grigory Lovtsov has encountered trouble. In 2022, the ship became stuck in ice off Sakhalin, prompting an emergency crew evacuation.
The investigation into the cause of the Russian cargo ship’s capsizing will focus on possible breaches of safety protocols and the stability of the ship’s cargo.
