A fishing vessel that sounded a distress signal in the Black Sea at night is being towed to Ochakiv by the Balaklava Marine Guard cutter of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

"The technical observation post 'Chornomorsk' of Odesa border detachment reacted to the message, which appeared on the radio at 02:40. Through the open channels of international maritime security, the crew of a civilian ship heading in the direction of Georgia received information about a felucca, which transmits a signal with signal flares. The boat of the Sea Guard of the State Border Guard Service 'Balaklava' immediately moved to the indicated area," the press service of the State Border Guard Service said.

The fishing vessel, de-energized and out of control, was discovered by border guards 25 nautical miles south of the Tendra Spit. According to the captain of the vessel, the fishermen in the prescribed manner issued an exit to the fishery from Ochakiv, but after a while there was a technical malfunction and the de-energized vessel lost control. The wind began to carry them into the open sea. The crew gave a distress signal.

At the moment the Balaklava boat is towing the ship to the port of Ochakiv.

"By the way, the crew of Balaklava did not notice any Russian military or border ships, which, according to some information resources, came to the aid of the Ukrainian fishermen," the service said.