GORNO-ALTAISK, September 2 (Itar-Tass) — The efforts to lift a Volga-type hydrofoil that sank in Lake Teletskoye on July 11 this year and the search for bodies of four people who were on board the vessel were resumed in the Republic of Altai on Friday morning.
The search was resumed on Thursday with the arrival in the region of the Tuapse Branch of the Centrospas unit of the RF Emergency Situations Ministry (EMERCOM) comprising five members with the Falcon deepwater submersible. The group found the Volga vessel on the first day of, the press service of the EMERCOM main department for the Altai Republic told Itar-Tass. According to the service, rescuers are currently trying to put tow ropes under the boat lying at a depth of 200 metres with which a crane will be able to raise the vessel later.
Together with the rescuers of the Tuapse Branch of Centrospass taking part in the lifting operation are four divers-rescuers of the V. V. Zyukov West Siberian search and rescue from Barnaul, a task force group of the EMERCOM main department for the Altai Republic, a mobile group of the state inspectorate for small boats. The operation involves a total of 34 people, nine pieces of equipment and five waterborne vehicles.
The operation to raise the boat from the bottom lake was suspended last month as the deepwater equipment brought from Moscow was damaged.
The Volga-type hydrofoil capsized and sank in Lake Teletskoye on July 11, at a distance of 30 km from the Artybash village. The pleasure boat was carrying 13 people, including the captain. Nine people were rescued and taken to the shore by other vessels and another four – residents of the Altai Territory – are still unaccounted for. It is assumed that their bodies may be in the sunken boat.
Criminal proceedings were instituted in connection with the tragedy. According to preliminary information, the boat’ s captain speeded and lost control of the vessel, which capsized. The captain was arrested.