Communication of the Maritime Coordination Rescue Center (Ministry of Transport):

The tug "Alexey Kulakovsky" and the tanker "Lenaneft-2064" were sent to help the fishing trawler "TB-0012," which at 07.20 26.08.10 failed the reduction gear of the main engine, the ship lost track, got two anchors in the area of ​ ​ the mouth of the river. Lena, 20 miles from the shore, having a drift in the north direction 1 knot.
At 15.45 26.08.10, the tanker Lenaneft-2064 approached the emergency vessel, at 17.45 - the tugboat Alexei Kulakovsky. In connection with the dark time of day, in agreement with the captain of the fishing trawler of the trawler "BT-0012," it was decided to take the accident vessel in tow after dawn. At 20.30, a message was received from the fishing trawler "BT-0012" by satellite phone that the tug was de-energized, drifting with a roll to the left side, there is no connection with it. At 20.25, an alarm was received for the Inmarsat system and 21.01 an emergency buoy ARB-406 was triggered in tow. At 21.10 the tugboat lay on the left side, and at 21.18 - sank.
From 00 50 to 04.00 27.08.10 search in the area was carried out by the Mi-8 helicopter of Polar Airlines LLC and the Mi-8 helicopter of the FSB of Russia. Two opened life rafts, one undiscovered, barrels, garbage, an oil stain were found.
Weather in the area: southwest wind up to 25 m/s, wave 2.5 m, water temperature + 11 degrees, air temperature + 12 degrees. The condition of the fishing trawler "BT-0012" is unchanged, at two anchors it drifts northward at a speed of one knot.

The following is known about the river-sea tug Alexei Kulakovsky
The sea tug (MB) "Alexey Kulakovsky" was built in 1992 and belonged to OJSC "Lenskoye United River Shipping Company," the port of Zhatay.

Data on the exact place of death of the vessel are contradictory. The ISCC gives 20 miles from the shore at the mouth of the Lena. The media give more than 20 miles from the mouth of the Lena in the Laptev Sea. Does this matter? Has. Restrictions of sea-river-sea tugs on navigation - no more than 20 miles from the coast, excitement no more than 2.5 meters. In the ISCC report, the distance from the shore and the height of the waves surprisingly coincide with the maximum permissible for this type of vessel.