A Canadian barge NATL II, adrift in the Arctic since last October, was trapped in the sea ice approximately 70 – 80 kilometers (43 – 50 miles) off the coast of the far-eastern Russian region of Chukotka.
Local authorities were monitoring the location of the vessel, as well as the ecological situation in the area nearby. The barge is carrying 3,500 liters of diesel but there is no indication that a fuel spill took place, Chukotka authorities said in a news release.
The Canadian barge broke free from its tugboat during a storm in the Beaufort Sea.