North Korea Detains Russia’s Yacht: Report
MEP: North Korean coast guards have reportedly captured a Russian yacht in the Sea of Japan without giving an explanation on Friday.
The Russian embassy in Pyongyang has demanded the immediate release of the Russian vessel and its crew.
“The North Korean side has communicated that the yacht has been taken to the port of Kimchaek,” said Igor Agafonov, a Russian foreign ministry official on Saturday.
He added that the yacht is in the port of Kimchaek and the crew members aboard Elfin are alive and unharmed and that Russia is attempting to gain access to them.
According to BBC, the yacht was intercepted as it was returning to Russia after participating in a competition in South Korea.
The incident occurred some 85 nautical miles off the shores of North Korea at 19:25 local time (10:25 GMT). According to Vesti Primorye, the captain of the Russian vessel, Dmitry Nazarov, was forced to board the North Korean vessel, while three (or four) other members of the crew locked themselves inside the yacht.
The Russian consul general in the region, Yury Bochhkarev, has contacted authorities in Hamgyong Province, but has not been granted permission to meet the detained Russian citizens so far.
“We are still waiting for an explanation from North Korea as to the reasons for the detention,” said Agafonov.
