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Journalism of Courage
MOSCOW, OCT 21: A mini-sub explored the site of the wrecked nuclear submarine Kursk yesterday, as divers prepared to try to retrieve the bodies of its 118-man crew, Russia’s partner in the salvage project said.
Deep-sea divers may visit the 154-metre (505-foot) long Kursk within 24 hours after initial radiation checks proved negative, Birger Haraldseid, spokesman for the Norwegian arm of US oil firm Halliburton said by telephone.
"The team is progressing with the first phase of the operation. They’ve taken water, air and seabed samples,” he said, adding that the mini-sub, equipped with lights and camera, had begun to study the site of Russia’s worst submarine disaster.
Radiation authorities said preliminary tests showed no sign of radiation leaks from the kursk, which plunged to the seabed after two unexplained explosions in August.
"There is so far no sign of radioactive leaks," the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority said in a statement.
"Further testing will be conducted in the coming days both inside and outside the submarine. Further details about the testing will be ready on Monday," it said.
Two Norwegian radiation experts on board the Regalia platform, which arrived at the Barents Sea site before dawn yesterday, would conduct regular geiger counter checks, Haraldseid said.
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.
Victims’ relatives have urged President Vladimir Putin not to risk divers’ lives rushing an operation to raise the bodies, and senior naval figures have been increasingly pessimistic about the prospects of such an operation.
On Thursday, Russia’s navy chief Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov said he would cancel the plan to raise the bodies if it looked likely to place the divers in too much danger, and Haraldseid admitted there was some apprehension in the team preparing to visit the underwater tomb.
"They have trained for this back in Norway, but it is something new to cut on a submarine. With a wreck there are many unknowns, especially when no one has seen what’s inside,” he said.
Haraldseid said Norwegian divers would do most of the survey work and cut holes in the sub, but faced a tough job getting through several layers of what he called "metal and surfacing".
Only a Russian military diver would actually go inside the vessel if it was deemed safe to do so, he added.
Interfax news agency quoted Deputy Prime Minister Ilyaklebanov as saying the start date for the recovery operation would be Tuesday or Wednesday.
But Haraldseid said the divers were keen to get started.
"When they agree the time to go to operational depth, they can be ready in seconds,” he said. "We need to cut the first hole and then we’ll know what we have to do."
