MOSCOW — The governor of Sakhalin, a Pacific island region of Russia, has announced a state of emergency in response to a Chinese cargo ship that has run aground off the coast. The vessel, known as the An Yang 2, is reported to be carrying coal and heavy fuel oil, but Governor Valery Limarenko indicated that the crew of 20 individuals aboard is safe. This information was shared in a message on Telegram on Sunday.

Limarenko noted that there have been no reports of fuel leaks from the stranded ship. However, local authorities are taking precautions to prepare for potential risks. The ongoing bad weather has obstructed rescue teams from reaching the bulk carrier, which is stuck in shallow water near the Nevelsky district of Sakhalin Island.

Authorities in the region are making arrangements to remove fuel from the cargo ship, which is located approximately 200 meters (or about 650 feet) offshore. This incident has echoes of earlier environmental challenges; earlier this year, numerous volunteers worked tirelessly in southwestern Russia to mitigate a significant fuel spill caused by two tankers that were impacted by storms in the Kerch Strait near Crimea.

Sakhalin itself is situated in the Far East of Russia and consists of the main island along with the four Kuril Islands. These islands are at the center of a long-standing territorial dispute between Russia and Japan, hindering the two nations from finalizing a peace treaty that has remained unresolved since the end of World War II. Soviet forces seized control of the islands, referred to as the Northern Territories by Japan, following the war, and Russia has maintained its hold on them ever since.