More than 200 fishermen were rescued Saturday from ice floes off the island of Sakhalin in eastern Russia, but 100 more were still awaiting help.

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The Interfax news agency reported Saturday that the fishermen, most of them believed to be in a state of "heavy alcoholic intoxication," had found themselves stranded on melting ice after a massive ice sheet broke from the shore.

Helicopters and boats were being used in the rescue operation, an official from the emergency situations ministry told the news agency.

Fishing through holes drilled in ice is a venerable winter tradition in the area, even in this year's unusually mild winter weather. Despite repeated warnings about dangerous conditions, the men, fortified with bottles of high-octane alcohol and heavy gear that included drills and fishing rods, thought they had found themselves a rich fishing area.

Sakhalin is located north of Japan, where fish is a primary food staple.