Fishermen who had become trapped on an ice floe that drifted into the Sea of Okhotsk, in the western Pacific.

Initially, the ministry had reported that around 300 people were cut off, but some of them refused to leave “without their catch, no matter what happened.” Despite the initial challenges, the rescue operation was successfully completed using helicopters and ships, as confirmed via the Telegram platform by the ministry.

Videos from the operation show fishermen walking across the snowy ice, making their way toward the rescuers. However, it remains unclear why so many fishermen had gathered in the Sakhalin region, where the winter fishing season traditionally begins in early February and lasts until April.

Watch video from the rescue operation: