A 37-year-old tourist named Anatoly Ch. is missing after a massive wave swept him and a companion into the freezing Barents Sea at Teriberka.
Rescuers managed to pull 32-year-old Viktoria F. out of the water, and she was taken to a hospital in serious condition, according to the Russian Telegram news channel 112.
The pair had been standing on the rocks with a group of travelers at the village's well-known Dragon's Eggs beach when a large wave crashed over them. The force of the water dragged both tourists off the stones and carried them out into the open sea.
Teriberka is a remote coastal settlement located on the Kola Peninsula in Murmansk Oblast, in the far northwest of Russia. Situated north of the Arctic Circle along the Barents Sea, the historic fishing village has become a popular destination for travelers seeking Arctic landscapes, marine wildlife and views of the northern lights.
Hazards along the Arctic coast
The shoreline at Dragon's Eggs beach is known for its geological formation of massive, rounded boulders. Heavy surf from the Arctic Ocean has pounded the coastline for centuries, grinding rough rocks into smooth shapes that resemble giant eggs. The slippery stones draw sightseers close to the water, but they offer little footing when rough waves break over the shelf.
The Barents Sea is an arm of the Arctic Ocean characterised by freezing temperatures, volatile weather and sudden offshore surges. Even during calmer periods, powerful swells can rise without warning against the exposed rocky coast, leaving swimmers with only minutes before hypothermia sets in.
The accident follows an earlier incident in Russia where two male tourists were swept out to sea during a violent storm. Emergency teams have still not found Anatoly Ch., and authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the accident, the news channel reported.
