Russian dredging vessel thrown ashore near Sakhalin.

VLADIVOSTOK, September 8 (Itar-Tass) -- A Russian dredging vessel has
been thrown ashore the Sakhalin island of Moneron in the Far East, a
spokesman for the Vladivostok sea rescue centre said on Wednesday.
The Nikolai Kasatkin motor vessel has arrived in the troubled area to
help the Anabar dredging vessel with 20 crewmembers aboard, although it
cannot start rescue operations because of strong wind and three-meter
waves, the spokesman said.
The Anabar sailed off from the city of Yakutsk in early August. She
sailed along the River Lena and the Northern Sea Route heading for
Sakhalin to take part in gas pipeline laying operations across the Tatar
Strait. On Tuesday, the vessel ran upon rocks and got struck near the
island of Moneron.
-0-ras