Fox News Flash top headlines for Jan. 29
Fox News Flash top headlines for Jan. 29 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.
This was not exactly a catch of the day.
More than 500 fishermen in Russia needed to be rescued on Tuesday after they got stranded on a giant ice floe that broke off and drifted away from land.
The Russia Emergency Situations Ministry said the incident happened just off the shore from the island of Sakhalin, in eastern Siberia.
AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRE SPARKED BY HELICOPTER FIGHTING BLAZES THREATENS HOMES ON CANBERRA OUTSKIRTS
"Contrary to common sense and rescuers' warnings, who were informed via SMS messages and the media that going out on the ice is extremely dangerous, several hundred people decided to try their luck and went out on unreliable ice," EMERCOM of Russia said.
A group of fishermen in Russia use a smaller piece of ice as a raft trying to row to the coast, as the ice floe with stranded fishermen on them slowly drifted further away from the land in eastern Siberia, Russia. (Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service via AP)
Officials said that around 8:40 a.m. Moscow time, a nearly 23-foot crack formed in the ice off the coast in the Mordvinov's Bay, trapping 536 "amateur" fishermen.
Over the next seven hours, EMERCOM said that 20 people were involved in the rescue operation that included three boats and one hovercraft.
Around 60 more people were able to get back on the shore on their own Tuesday evening, emergency officials said.
BRAZIL RAINSTORMS, LANDSLIDES LEAVE DOZENS DEAD, THOUSANDS EVACUATED
Footage of the incident showed groups of people using smaller pieces of ice as rafts and trying to row to the coast on them, as the ice floe with stranded fishermen slowly drifted farther away from the land.
Russia's emergency services rescued 536 ice fishermen after they got stranded on a giant ice floe that broke off the island of Sakhalin in eastern Siberia. (Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service via AP)
According to some of the fishermen, by the time they had been rescued, the rift between the ice floe and the coast was already some 650 feet wide. Even with the hundreds of people that were stuck on the ice, EMERCOM said no injuries were reported and none of those rescued needed medical assistance.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE WEATHER COVERAGE FROM FOX NEWS
It was the third time in a week that emergency services in the Sakhalin region had to rescue ice fishermen stuck on drifting glacial masses, according to The Associated Press.
In this Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020 photo released by the Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service, showing two fishermen using a smaller piece of ice as a raft and try to row to the land. (Russia Emergency Situations Ministry press service via AP)
On Jan. 22, around 300 people got stranded on an ice floe, and on Sunday 600 others did.
Local authorities blamed the incidents on fishermen ignoring safety warnings and going ice fishing despite the danger of being stranded on ice floes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Antisemitism Exposed
Fox News' Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world."
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.