MOSCOW, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Eight people are feared dead after an Indonesian-flagged ship went missing in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Russia's Far East coast, officials said Sunday.
The missing ship, GINGA, was carrying five Russians and three Indonesian nationals, RIA Novosti reported. So far, three bodies of sailors have been recovered during the search and rescue operation.
Previous reports said a ship was named Alfa-3 and was flying a Cambodian flag.
Emergency centers in the Russian Far East received a distress call from the ship, which launched from Japan, late Saturday. The ship wrecked in the La Perouse Strait, which separates Russia and Japan's island of Hokkaido
Both Russia and Japan are involved in the rescue operation, Russia's Transport Ministry said Sunday.
"The Russian search and rescue group comprises the Atlas rescue vessel, the Ozersk refrigerator ship, the shipping boats Paliya and Zaliv Vasilyeva, and also a Mi-8 helicopter while the Japanese team includes the REBUN patrol boat and a plane," the ministry said.
