Russian ship with 700 tons of gold ore goes missing

A Russian ship with eight crewmembers carrying 700 tons of gold ore has vanished in the Sea of Okhotsk, Russian media reported on Monday.

Three ships, an amphibious aircraft and a helicopter, were deployed to search for the vessel in the stormy seas off Russia’s Pacific Coast, the Russian Television (RT) reported.

The vessel, hired by mining company Polymetal, was carrying 700 tons of gold ore from one deposit to another where it was to be processed. Gold ore is the material from which gold is extracted and contains only a small percentage of the precious metal, according to Associated Press.

“The Amurskoe departed the village of Neran in Russia’s Far East Khabarovsk territory, and was headed toward the port of Okhotsk in the Sea of Okhotsk. After leaving the delta of the Kiran River, the vessel entered the Sea of Okhotsk and sent out a distress signal soon after,” RT reported.

Polymetal’s spokesman on Monday would not estimate the value of the cargo.

The company said it has shipped ore via that route before, and there was nothing unusual in shipping it by the sea, according to Associated Press.