Rescuers on Thursday found an empty life raft in the area where the Amurskaya cargo ship sunk off Russia's far eastern seaboard.
A search team found the 20-person raft at 10:12 a.m. local time near Feklistov Island in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Transportation Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
"The raft was practically deflated, torn in places, and was filled with pebbles and sand, but no people were found inside," the statement read.
That rescuers found the raft in such a sorry condition makes it even less likely that any of the Amurskaya's missing crew members, who last made contact with land on Oct. 28, will be found alive.
On Wednesday, divers discovered the wreck of the Amurskaya near the Shantar Islands at a depth of 25 meters.
While inspecting the ship's deck, divers found that one of its life rafts was missing, leading the ministry to speculate that crew members had attempted to escape the sinking vessel.
News reports said that between nine and 11 people were on board the Amurskaya when it left port.
Investigators have said the freighter was carrying around 700 tons of gold ore and violated multiple safety rules. Police have interrogated 20 people and carried out searches at the Nikolayevsk-on-Amur Sea Port in connection with the ship's sinking, investigators said in a separate statement Thursday.
The ship's owner was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of negligence leading to multiple deaths, which carries a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment.
Related articles:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
![paiment methods](https://static.themoscowtimes.com/img/contribute/payment_icons.png)
Remind me later.