Hovercraft crews rescue 128 passengers from grounded river ferry in eastern Russia

All 128 passengers have been evacuated by hovercraft from a river passenger vessel that ran aground on the Lena River in Eastern Russia's Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on Wednesday, October 21.

The Lenatrans-owned ferry Moskovsky-11 grounded about 700 metres from shore while sailing from Namyv station in Yakutsk to Nizhny Bestyakh, according to the East Siberian Transport Prosecutor's Office. No passengers or crew were injured.

The Yakutia Rescue Service said the evacuees included 40 children. Multiple hovercraft made a total of 13 trips to bring them ashore.

One hovercraft was provided by the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels and three were supplied by private individuals.

The ferry has since come free and moored at the shore of Yakutsk's 203rd microdistrict, the rescue service added.