Bodies of 10 Russian seamen found

Rescuers have recovered 10 more bodies today from the Sea of Japan, where Russian crews have been searching for more than a week for sailors from two ships that disappeared in a heavy storm.

Seventeen seamen remain missing, according to the search headquarters in Russia’s Pacific port city of Vladivostok.

The Mongolian-flagged West, with 27 crew members, disappeared on November 2 as it was heading for Japan with a load of timber.

Two of its crew members were rescued on November 4 and five bodies were found yesterday. Rescuers said the 10 bodies found today were believed to be from the West.

Another vessel, the Arosa freighter with 15 crew members on board, sank in rough seas some 40 nautical miles off the Russian coast.

Rescuers saved seven crewmen and found the body of a cook, but seven other crew members remained missing. The Arosa was sailing under a Cambodian flag.