The search for the Russian ship Kapella rammed by a large Italian vessel near the Japanese island of Hokkaido earlier this month was stopped on Monday.
Rescuers said the Kapella which carried 80 to 130 tonnes of fuel, must have sunk.
In the August 3 collision, the Russian ship, punctured by the BBS Texas of Italy, quickly developed an 80-degree list through a five-meter hole, but kept afloat.
Currents were drifting it toward Sakhalin. The shipwreck was last seen on August 5, after which it was lost sight of. The search was conducted by the Topaz and Rubin rescue vessels.