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In-depth coverage about
Sunken Russian Submarine |
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Related News Stories |
| · | Norway Says No Sign of Radiation Leak From Sub - Reuters (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | Pentagon: US Vessel Didn't Hit Sub - AP (Aug 15, 2000) |
| · | Russian Submariners Trapped Beneath the Arctic Seas - CNSNews.com/Media Research Center (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | Inspection teams reach downed sub - BBC (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | Russian Ships Arrive at Crippled Sub Site - ABCNews.com (Aug 14, 2000) |
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Related Web Sites |
| · | Bellona Foundation - Norwegian environmental group with information about the sub. |
| · | Project 949: Oskar-I/II class - includes basic characteristics and specifications on the type of submarine involved in the incident, and a list of similar ones in operation. From the Russian Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies. |
| · | Center for Nonproliferation Studies - inculdes a special report on the sinking of the Kursk. |
| · | Russian Weapons Catalog - facts and figures about Russian surface ships, submarines, and other naval weapons. |
| · | Broken Arrows and Bent Spears - CNN special report on nuclear accidents. |
| More... |
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Magazine Articles |
| · | For Russia's Nukes, Sunken Sub Just Tip of the Iceberg - Time Magazine (Aug 14, 2000) |
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Audio |
| · | Assessment of the sub's situation - Paul Beaver of Jane's Defence Weekly - CNN (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | Age [of the sub] cannot be blamed this time - BBC (Aug 14, 2000) |
| More... |
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Video |
| · | Little chance of recovery for immobilized sub - Reuters/Yahoo! News (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | Unlikely the submarine will be saved - BBC (Aug 14, 2000) |
| · | More than 100 trapped as Russian nuclear sub sits on sea floor - CNN (Aug 14, 2000) |
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Yahoo! Categories |
| · | Russia Military Equipment |
| · | Submarines |
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Monday August 14 8:10 PM ET
Russians Battle to Save Sailors Trapped on Sea Bed
Russians Battle to Save Sailors Trapped on Sea Bed
By Peter Graff MOSCOW (Reuters) - Rescuers battled worsening weather
through the Arctic night into Tuesday in feverish efforts to
save 116 sailors trapped in a crippled Russian submarine lying
for nearly two days at the bottom of the sea. Interfax news agency said conditions had sharply worsened
during the night, with heavy winds and choppy seas in the area
of the disabled nuclear-powered vessel. Naval teams had hooked up a diving bell to provide oxygen
and power to the crew who on Sunday were forced to turn off the
reactor on the vessel, the Kursk, one of Russia's most modern
submarines, and let it drift to the seabed. Mini-submarines circled the crippled vessel 500 ft beneath
the surface of the Barents Sea and were surveying its hull to
determine the extent of the damage. They had managed to make
contact with the trapped crew. Officials on Monday gave conflicting signals over the
chances of saving the crew or recovering the craft. Navy commander, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, who heads the
rescue operation, made clear he was not hopeful. ``The chances for a positive outcome are not very high,''
Tass quoted him as saying. Kuroyedov did not specify whether he
meant the fate of the submarine or its crew. But other officials sounded upbeat. ``The situation is serious, but according to the command of
the Northern Fleet its rescue teams have enough resources to
deal with the issue without turning to others for help,'' Tass
quoted the fleet's command as saying. U.S. And Britain Offer Help Moscow has not said whether it will attempt to raise the
Kursk or try to evacuate the crew. Both the United States and
Britain have offered help which has not so far been accepted by
Moscow. The United States has two Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles
which can conduct rescue operations in depths of up to 610
meters (2,000 ft) and evacuate up to 24 crew members at a time. Britain has put a deep search and rescue submarine on
standby.
A large fleet of Russian surface vessels is anchored above
the crippled submarine, with the aircraft carrier, Admiral
Kuznetsov, serving as a base for helicopters.There were conflicting reports about the cause of the
accident, with some officials suggesting the submarine may have
been involved in a collision, but others saying a malfunction
or blast on its bow had sent it to the bottom. Collision Theory Unconfirmed ``Preliminary results of an external observation of the
submarine using deep water apparatus...does not confirm the
theory of a collision with an unidentified object,'' Tass said. It said its source was an official at a defense firm taking
part in efforts to rescue the stricken submarine. ``He (the source) did not exclude the possibility that the
damage to the nose section of the sub was caused by an
explosion in that section,'' Tass said, adding that its source
had not said what could have caused such a blast. But the agency also noted it had earlier quoted an official
with Russia's Northern Fleet as saying a collision perhaps with
a foreign submarine was considered the ``key version.'' There were also varying reports about the condition of the
crew, with some suggesting there may have been injuries or
deaths when the submarine went down. The Kursk, one of eight giant Oscar-2 class submarines in
the Russian fleet, was commissioned only five years ago and
represents the height of Russia's nuclear submarine technology. Russia has said the crippled submarine poses no threat to
the environment. It was carrying no nuclear weapons and the
reactor that powers its engines has been shut down. Norwegian
officials said there was no sign of a radiation leak. The vessel went down during training exercises on Sunday,
about 85 miles (137 km) from its base in the port of
Severomorsk.
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Earlier Stories
Rescue Teams Examine Russian Crippled Sub on Sea Bed (August 14)
More Than 100 Trapped on Crippled Russian Nuclear Sub (August 14)
Russian Sub May Have Collided with Foreign Sub (August 14)
More Than 100 Trapped on Crippled Russian Sub (August 14)
Report: Some Russian Sub Crew May Be Dead (August 14)
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