MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti) - South Korean rescuers have called off their search in North Korean territorial waters for sailors from a Russian cargo ship that sunk in the Sea of Japan three days ago, coast guards said Thursday.
According to the latest data from the South Korean rescue center, which has been confirmed by the Russian Transportation Ministry, 11 sailors out of the 18-man crew have been found alive and two have been found dead; the other five are considered missing.
The Sinegorye ship, which was transporting timber, sunk within one hour Monday when a sudden heavy storm broke out, causing the vessel to lurch violently, dislodging its cargo, and inflicting fatal damage.
South Korean coast guards found the first body and five survivors on Tuesday, and another six survivors on Wednesday.
The Russian ship Yury Orlenko, which had sailed from the country's Far East port of Vladivostok to join the rescue effort, pulled the second body out of the water at 5:30 a.m. GMT on Thursday, according to Russia's Transportation Ministry.
Russia's Foreign Ministry earlier asked Pyongyang permission for a Russian vessel to enter North Korea's waters to pick up the sailor's body.
The five missing sailors could have been swept to the east coast of North Korea by a northwesterly current, South Korean coast guard officials said earlier.
