▁back ▁to ▁Russia ▁in ▁October ▁with ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁they ▁had ▁found . ▁ ▁Ber ing ' s ▁ship ▁was ▁batter ed ▁by ▁storm s , ▁and ▁in ▁November ▁his ▁ship ▁was ▁w reck ed ▁on ▁the ▁shore ▁of ▁Ber ing ▁Island , ▁which ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁crew ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Kam chat ka . ▁ ▁Ber ing ▁fell ▁ill ▁with ▁sc ur vy ▁and ▁died ▁on ▁December ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 7 4 1 ; ▁soon ▁after , ▁the ▁St . ▁Peter ▁was ▁dashed ▁to ▁pieces ▁by ▁high ▁wind s . ▁The ▁str and ed ▁crew ▁winter ed ▁on ▁the ▁island , ▁and ▁ 2 8 ▁crew ▁members ▁died . ▁When ▁weather ▁improved , ▁the ▁ 4 6 ▁surv iv ors ▁built ▁a ▁ 4 0 - foot ▁( 1 2   m ) ▁boat ▁from ▁the ▁w reck age ▁and ▁set ▁sail ▁for ▁Pet rop av lov sk ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 7 4 2 . ▁Ber ing ' s ▁crew ▁reached ▁the ▁shore ▁of ▁Kam chat ka ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 2 , ▁carrying ▁word ▁of ▁the ▁expedition . ▁ ▁The ▁sea ▁ot ter ▁pel ts ▁they ▁brought , ▁soon ▁jud ged ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁fin est ▁fur ▁in ▁the ▁world , ▁would ▁spark ▁Russian ▁settlement ▁in ▁Al aska . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁Northern ▁Sea ▁Route ▁North west ▁Pass age ▁Ar ctic ▁Bridge ▁Territ orial ▁claims ▁in ▁the ▁Ar ctic ▁Ar ctic ▁policy ▁of ▁Russia ▁Cont inental ▁sh elf ▁of ▁Russia ▁List ▁of ▁Russian