Rescuers evacuate 40 fishermen from ice floe on Russia's Sakhalin

Some 40 fishermen were evacuated from a drifting ice floe and work continued to rescue more in difficult weather conditions on the Sakhalin island, Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Monday.

The ministry said earlier that about 50 fishermen could be on a torn off ice floe near the village of Lesnoye that lies on the eastern coast of Sakhalin.

"The rescue operation on Sakhalin is carried out at a distance of 1.5-2 kilometres (2 miles) from the separation line, in difficult weather conditions, with strong winds," the ministry said on the Telegram messaging platform.