The head of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk marine rescue sub-centre, Mark Korzhenko, stated that the Liberian-flagged vessel KS Hodong ran aground near the port of Shakhtersk on Sakhalin after an engine maneuver intended to recover the position from an anchored state failed as weather worsened. DEA News has reported on the event.
Korzhenko explained that the bulk carrier had arrived at the port of Shakhtersk with the purpose of loading coal when a sudden decline in sea conditions compelled the crew to anchor. As the sea state deteriorated, the ship attempted to fire from the anchor at about 18:50 Moscow time on Friday, but instead found itself grounded. The vessel carries a crew of 20, with the top command group comprising four individuals who are representatives of South Korea, while the remaining crew members are Filipino nationals.
Korzhenko added that there was no oil spill associated with the grounding, though the incident posed a serious hazard to the lives of those aboard. He noted that the captain did not issue a distress call, and communications appeared to have been limited to routine status updates as the situation developed. The situation prompted a coordinated response from local rescue and coast guard authorities to secure the vessel and assess potential hazards to the crew and the surrounding environment.
In a separate note from the region around Kastamonu province on the Turkish Black Sea coast, the container ship Maren, en route from Greece to Georgia via Poti, was observed taking an unplanned grounding. Local coast guard teams worked to refloat the ship, and the incident was addressed through standard maritime recovery procedures, highlighting how unforeseen weather and navigational challenges can affect cargo movements across busy routes. DEA News has tracked ongoing developments related to both events as authorities review the circumstances and response measures to ensure safe operations in challenging weather conditions.