As RIA PrimaMedia was informed in the Vladivostok Sea Saving-Coordination Centre (SSC), on February 1 the vessel flying the flag of St. Vincent and Grenadines was hijacked by the sea rovers in the Gulf of Aden.
There were six seamen aboard: two Englishmen and four Russians.

Russia informed the NATO fleet about this incident. The Ship-owner Company started negotiations with the pirates.

The vessel 'Svitzer Korsakov'was built and launched in St.-Petersburg in December, 2007, it went to Sakhalin to work in the framework of the shelf project 'Sakhalin-2'. 'Sakhalin Energy'Company chartered 'Svitzer Korsakov'and 3 more port vessels under the contract with Svitzervajsmyuller Sakhalin Ltd. Company.

'Svitzer Korsakov'is a tug boat of ice class made for serving oil terminals in the 'Sakhalin-2'project. It is expected to assist in the vessels mooring, service the floating navigation equipment, clear the way to the port for the large-capacity vessels from ice if necessary, provide safe export of oil and gas all year round.

The tug is capable to break the ice at the minimal speed of 3 knots and two tugs working simultaneously are able to clear sufficient passage for tankers approaching the oil terminals.