Divers start salvage operation on Russian sub

MOSCOW - Russian and Norwegian divers have started cutting their way into the nuclear submarine Kursk to retrieve the bodies of 118 sailors killed when the vessel sank in the Arctic Barents Sea last August.

The divers made holes in the outer hull of the eighth and ninth compartments of the submarine yesterday and will probably try to complete penetration of the inner hull on Tuesday, Interfax news agency quoted a spokesman for the Northern Fleet as saying.

RTR television reported from the scene of the recovery operation that the divers had struggled to remove a tough rubber lining from the outer hull and this had slowed work.

Reporter Arkady Mamontov said in a live broadcast that the divers could get into the area between the two hulls today or tommorrow.

Itar-Tass news agency quoted Northern Fleet Commander Vyacheslav Popov as saying weather conditions were getting worse, although the preparatory work could still continue.

Altogether the divers have to make seven holes in the Kursk to reach every corner of the 154-metre (505-foot) sub, badly damaged by explosions in Russia's worst accident with nuclear submarines.

"By (tonight) everything must be ready for cutting the strong inner body of the submarine," Northern Fleet spokesman Vladimir Navrotsky told ORT television.

Northern Fleet commander Admiral Vyacheslav Popov told ORT that six three-man crews were working non-stop. Another eight divers were preparing themselves for the mission.

The operation is being conducted from the Norwegian offshore platform Regalia, which reached the area on Friday. It is being run by the Norwegian arm of U.S. oil services firm Halliburton.

Navy commander Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov instructed divers on Friday not to attempt to do anything that could endanger their lives.

"You should think of your lives and your families," he said on Friday in scenes aboard the Regalia shown on RTR state television.

Divers could face grave danger trying to enter the Kursk, not only from intense cold and darkness more than 100 metres (300 feet) down, but also from jagged metal debris inside the wreck that could puncture their survival suits.

A mini-sub has explored the Kursk and found no radiation leaks.

Norwegian divers would do most of the survey work and cut holes in the sub. But only a Russian military diver would actually go inside the vessel.

- REUTERS

Herald Online feature: Russian sub disaster

Russian Centre for Arms Control: OSKAR subs

World Navies Today: Russian subs

Russian Navy official website