A Li-2 aircraft engaged in ice-reconnaissance missions in the north of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, Russia, experienced severe adverse weather conditions ? strong headwind and fog ? leading to navigational errors and a deviation from the flight path. Due to insufficient fuel to reach Amderma, the captain steered west by 210 km, ultimately resulting in a missed landing at Novaya Zemlya and a fuel exhaustion event. The crew initiated a ditching in the Barents Sea between Varandei island, Matveyev Island, and Cape Medynski.A Li-2 aircraft engaged in ice-reconnaissance missions in the north of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, Russia, experienced severe adverse weather conditions ? strong headwind and fog ? leading to navigational errors and a deviation from the flight path. Due to insufficient fuel to reach Amderma, the captain steered west by 210 km, ultimately resulting in a missed landing at Novaya Zemlya and a fuel exhaustion event. The crew initiated a ditching in the Barents Sea between Varandei island, Matveyev Island, and Cape Medynski.