IN BRIEF

Published: August 8, 2012 (Issue # 1721)

Boats Collide on Neva

ST. PETERSBURG (SPT) — A collision between a pleasure boat and a cargo ship on the Neva River last Tuesday night was the result of river traffic safety rules being violated, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.

“The crew of the pleasure boat violated the water traffic safety rules. We are not excluding professional errors in the work of the cargo ship either,” the Investigative Committee said on its website last week.

The two vessels collided on the stretch of the river near the Summer Garden. As a result of the incident, the motorboat, which had 13 passengers and two crewmembers on board, sank. All those on board were rescued from the water.

Finns Bar Entry

ST. PETERSBURG (SPT) — Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected about 8,000 applications for Schengen visas submitted by Russians last year. The percentage of rejections represented 0.7 percent of the total number of applications, Helsingin Sanomat, Finland’s biggest daily newspaper, reported last week.

Rejections are usually issued on one of several grounds: Suspicions that the applicant wants to use the visa to remain in the Schengen zone, or to ban certain people from entering a Schengen-zone country, or on national security grounds.

Sailor Killed at Sea

ST. PETERSBURG (SPT) — One sailor died and four others were injured in an accident on board the naval training ship the Perekop in the Gulf of Finland on July 31.

According to Fontanka.ru news website, a shell was fired from the ship at a training mine, but instead hit part of the ship. Five sailors were on deck when the shell exploded. According to some reports, they had gone out to take photos of themselves against the background of the ship’s gun being fired.

Investigators have opened a criminal case into the violation of weapons handling rules. The ship’s captain is under investigation, Fontanka reported.

Store Fails Inspection

ST. PETERSBURG (SPT) — Consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor found a range of health and safety violations at the Narodny supermarket, which is known for its discounted food.

The results of an inspection by Rospotrebnadzor and published on the watchdog’s website showed that the Narodny store had violated sanitary and epidemiological requirements. The supermarket sold items that showed signs of spoiling, some of the products lacked documents testifying to their quality and safety standards, the conditions for the sale and storage of dairy products were violated, and temperature and humidity control was lacking, Fontanka reported.