Watch: Chinese Ship Runs Aground Near Russia’s Sakhalin Island, Emergency Declared

Russian authorities in the Pacific island region of Sakhalin have declared an emergency after a Chinese cargo ship, An Yang 2, ran aground off the southwest coast of the island.

Per reports, the ship is stuck on a rocky shore near the port of Nevelsk. All 20 crew members on board are reported to be safe and the authorities are in constant touch with them.

Governor Valery Limarenko confirmed in a Telegram post that no fuel spill has been reported so far. However, local authorities are preparing for any possible fuel leakage as the ship remains stranded about 200 meters offshore.

Heavy weather conditions have made it difficult for rescue teams to access the vessel, and no rescue operation has been launched yet due to rough seas and strong waves.

A municipal state of emergency has been declared in the Nevelsky district of the Sakhalin region after the Chinese tanker Ang Yang-2 ran aground. pic.twitter.com/emqDiIXW8f

— MilitaryNewsUA (@front_ukrainian) February 9, 2025

The An Yang 2 is carrying around 1,000 tonnes of coal, 56 tonnes of diesel, and over 700 tonnes of fuel oil. Authorities are concerned that any fuel leak into the ocean could lead to an environmental disaster.

Limarenko stated that local authorities are already preparing to pump fuel out of the damaged vessel to minimise the risks associated with it.

There have been similar incidents in the region. In 2021, another Chinese ship ran aground in the Kholmsky District, and the vessel’s owners refused to take responsibility for the incident, leaving the region to cover the costs.

This is the second major incident in Russia in just two days. On Sunday, a Russian tanker named Koala suffered multiple explosions in its engine room, causing it to take on water and partially sink near the port of Ust-Luga. Fortunately, all 24 crew members managed to safely abandon the vessel.

Last night, the Chinese tanker Ang Yang-2 ran aground near Sakhalin. It carries 56 tonnes of diesel, 706 tonnes of fuel oil, 1,000 tonnes of coal, and 20 crew. The vessel has a leak, but no spillage. Russian authorities struggled to communicate with the Chinese crew for a long… pic.twitter.com/iLiEsw9BGf

— WarTranslated (@wartranslated) February 9, 2025

The ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbados is believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” used to circumvent international sanctions on oil exports.

Earlier this year, volunteers in southwestern Russia spent weeks working to contain a large oil spill caused by two tankers that had been struck by a storm in the Kerch Strait, near Crimea.

The Sakhalin region is strategically important and also a site of ongoing territorial disputes. The Kuril Islands, which are part of the region, are claimed by both Russia and Japan, preventing the two nations from signing a peace treaty after World War II.

References: AP News, SCMP

Source: Maritime Shipping News