Lyakhov, Ivan (?–About 1800)

Lyakhov, Ivan (?–about 1800) – a Russian merchant and hunter and researcher of the New Siberian Islands. L. explored the fishing and hunting areas of the Laptev Sea coast from the mouth the Lena to the mouth of the Indigirka. In the spring of 1770, L. with a group of hunters traveled on sled across the frozen Laptev Sea to the north of Cape St. Nose, visiting the island of Blizhniy (Eterikan), discovered by M. Vagin and Ya. Permyakov, and discovered a new island. Both islands were subsequently named after L. – Lyakhovskiy Islands by a decree of Catherine II. In the summer of 1733, L. explored the islands and discovered an island off the Anjou group of islands, named Kotelnyi (the largest of the New Siberian Islands). L. drew the plan of the coastline, made the first description of the Lyakhovskiy Islands, and organized a hunting enterprise there. L. described the results of his travels in supplements mailed to the St. Petersburg Admiralty.