A rescue operation has been launched to free a large cargo ship that is lodged in frozen waters off the coast of Russia.
What happened?
The wrecked and abandoned Yeruslan cargo ship is currently trapped in the Amur Bay.
A large team was pumping water from the ship, with her stern nearly completely underwater and her bow lifted off the surface.
Thieves set fire:
Thieves were blamed after the cargo ship trapped became trapped in the ice-covered bay and burst into flames.
The Cambodian ship has been stuck in the ice near the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok.
It is believed that it caught fire as thieves used oxy acetylene torches to remove parts of the ship to take away and sell as scrap metal.
Footage filmed by eyewitnesses on their smartphones showed the ship well ablaze in the bay with the fire raging through the decks.
Thick clouds of smoke were visible for miles around but fire brigade leaders left the ship to burn saying they could not justify risking their crews by sending them out onto the ice.
Onlookers also reported that they had seen the men loading items stolen from the ship, including metal, books, maps and personal items belonging to the crew, into the vehicle.
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Source: Dailymail
