The Vincent, owned by a South Korean company and carrying Russian sailors, caught fire on Monday and was discovered by Russian scientific-research vessel Professor Probatov in Aniva Bay, near the southern end of Sakhalin Island, the following day. The crew of the Russian boat helped evacuate 13 sailors from the burning ship.
"The vessel, which has been towed to shallow waters, has burned down... The Vincent has started to sink, so water must be pumped out of it and it must be towed to the nearest port," the spokesman said.
The crew of the Vincent, which was carrying about 30 metric tons of diesel fuel, consisted of sailors from Russia's Primorye Territory and the Sakhalin Region.
One of the four injured sailors, all of whom have severe burns, is currently in intensive care.
According to preliminary reports, a short-circuit could have caused the fire. The vessel had recently been redecorated with flammable materials, which allowed the fire to spread instantly along corridors and cabins. Power was lost on the vessel, making it impossible for the crew to give an SOS signal.
