N Korea Fishermen Hospitalized in Russia After Border Confrontation

VLADIVOSTOK (Sputnik) — North Korean fishermen, who attacked Russian border control staff during detention in Russia’s exclusive economic zone, are in medical institutions of the country's Primorsky Territory, a representative of Russia's Investigative Committee said on Monday.

"The investigation is carrying out procedural checks in line with article 318 of the Criminal Code on the use of violence against a public official. A criminal case has not yet been opened. The Koreans are in medical institutions in Nakhodka," the representative told RIA Novosti.

The representative added that all the necessary medical care had been provided and "nobody's life is in danger."

On Friday evening at 22:20 Moscow time (19:20 GMT), a North Korean vessel was detained in Russia's Far East. The Korean vessel, carrying 48 crew members, started to move out of the Russian territorial waters, while the fishermen attempted to attack the patrol officers who had boarded the vessel.

After several warning shots Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers opened fire from small arms injuring nine fishermen. One of the injured fishermen later died. One member of the border patrol ship received a head injury. The wounded were given assistance and the crew of the North Korean vessel was evacuated to the border ships. On Monday, the committee announced that a second border guard had also sustained an injury during the altercation — a closed fracture of the right foot.

The incident occurred in Russia's exclusive economic zone — an area of coastal water in the Sea of Japan where Russia has exclusive rights for fishing and other economic activities.