OREANDA-NEWS. The press service of the Russian Navy told the Russian media that the Russian icebreaker off the coast of Norway signaled for help by mistake. “During the storm, some of the equipment was de-energized. When connected to the air, a false signal was sent. Everything is fine with them”, said a representative of the department.

Norwegian rescuers received an SOS signal at 6:36 local time, reports Aftenposten. It follows from the information received that the Russian icebreaker Tor, which was traveling from St. Petersburg to the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, lost its course west of the city of Aalesund and is only capable of small maneuvers in a severe storm. Two tugboats were sent to the vessel.

To evacuate the sailors, a helicopter flew to the scene. He circled an icebreaker for an hour and a half, but as a result he returned to the base after the captain said that he did not need help. Two and a half hours after the distress call, the Norwegian Rescue Service received information that the ship’s engine was operating and the situation stabilized.