Russian Vessel In Distress In Caspian Sea

A Russian vessel is in distress in the central part of the Caspian Sea, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry's Southern Regional Center told Interfax. "A distress signal came at about 10:53 a.m. Moscow time Saturday from an emergency buoy of the Kamyust-1 ship sailing under the Russian flag and registered at the Taganrog port while she was en route from Astrakhan to the Iranian port of Enzeli with steel articles on board.A border guard cutter was dispatched to the distress area at 11:35 a.m. Moscow time," it said. The cutter is supposed to reach the site at about 5:30 p.m. Moscow time, it said. The vessel "is in the central part of the Caspian Sea closer to the Dagestani coast," it said. There are 12 people on board the vessel. Telegrams have been sent out to the captains of vessels close to the Kamyust-1, it said.