Society

16:31, 11.03.2008 | Sakhalin Region

Helicopters and rescue boats yesterday have rescued 755 fishermen who were trapped on an ice floe that had broken away from the coast of Sakhalin Island in Russia's far east.

Emergency officials say the anglers, who were fishing off the southeastern part of Sakhalin, had ignored continuous official warnings about the safety of the ice.
Russian authorities mounted a quick rescue effort in the Sea of Okhotsk involving two helicopters and dozens of rescue boats.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry says crews rescued all those stranded in Sakhalin's Mordvinov Bay.
Several dozen salvage workers participated in the rescue effort.
In February 2007, 442 anglers were brought back to shore in a similar rescue effort off Sakhalin Island.

-AP