Storm drives cargo ship ashore in Russia's Kaliningrad region, drawing sightseers

A powerful storm hit Russia's Kaliningrad region on the Baltic Sea coast on October 9. It drove the Bahamas-flagged dry cargo ship Sunny Faith ashore at Yantarny, and the vessel remains aground, briefly turning into an unplanned tourist attraction.

Storm damage across the region

In the city of Kaliningrad, gusts of wind toppled trees and downed power lines. Authorities placed the city on heightened alert, advised residents to stay indoors unless necessary, and made attendance at schools and kindergartens optional. The Kaliningrad Zoo closed, and flights were delayed at Khrabrovo Airport.

Near Svetlogorsk, the storm tore loose a lifting platform owned by the company Geoisol. The company's assets, including the platform, are under a seizure order. Regional authorities said there was no risk of water pollution. A criminal case was opened over the incident under a law covering violations of safety rules for maritime navigation and vessel operation.

The ship at Yantarny

The Sunny Faith had arrived in the Kaliningrad region from Algeria, with a stop at the Spanish port of Algeciras. The regional government's press office said the ship carried no cargo and that no fuel had spilled. The crew chose to remain aboard and wait for the weather to improve instead of evacuating.

The vessel is 129.9 meters (about 426 feet) long and more than 23 meters (about 75 feet) wide. Residents and tourists posed for photos and shot videos with it in the background. Anton Alikhanov, Russia's Industry and Trade Minister and a former governor of the Kaliningrad region, was also photographed in front of the ship.

What comes next

As of October 12, the ship was still on the shoreline. Sources told the outlet Klops that further surveys involving divers would probably be needed to decide how to refloat it.