The operation to raise the sunken Kursksubmarine from the bottom of the Barents Sea began today.
|
|
The
Kurskbefore its tragic sinking last year
|
The 20,000-tonne vessel has been lifted 40 metres from the bottom of the Barents Sea, a depth of 112 metres, and would be in the correct position for towing back to land by midday, said Vice Admiral Mikhail Motsak, head of Russia's Northern Fleet.
Twenty-six steel cables, each weighing 22 tonnes, are attached to a barge, which is due to tug the submarine to dry dock on the Kola peninsula.
The nuclear-powered sub sank on August 12th last year, with the loss of all 118 crew aboard.
The disaster has remained unexplained to this day.
The Kursk'sbow, where the vessel's torpedoes are stored, is to remain under the sea at least until next year.
Environmentalist groups had feared the bow may not have been totally severed from the rest of the Kursk, leaving the possibility the torpedoes could have exploded during the operation to raise the sub.
The main part of the submarine, which is being raised, also holds 22 Granit missiles.
AFP