A Russian emergency operation rescued 139 stranded fishermen who had initially refused help because they had not caught any fish.

The group drifted over a mile out to sea after the ice sheet they were standing on broke away from the shore of the remote far-eastern Sakhalin island on Wednesday.

An airlift rescue operation was launched with a helicopter and a hovercraft, but it appeared at least some of those trapped were reluctant to be taken off the ice.

Officials said the fisherman refused to leave “under any circumstances” until they had caught some fish.

They were heard in footage arguing with rescuers and refusing to get in the helicopter.

The men were eventually rescued and were seen shielding themselves from the wind as they boarded the Mil Mi-8 helicopter.