DATE=8/21/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA SUB (2ND L UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-265691
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia's attempts to rescue sailors aboard a
cripple submarine are over. Norwegian divers say
there are no survivors on the sunken Kursk nuclear
submarine. A Russian navy spokesman says the divers
may use remote-controlled cameras to examine the
inside of the vessel. Correspondent Laurie Kassman has
the latest details from Moscow.
TEXT: A spokesman for the Norwegian divers told
reporters the submarine is full of water and there are
no survivors among the 118 sailors aboard the ill-
fated Kursk submarine.
Divers are now expected to use a remote-controlled
camera to examine the inside of the crippled
submarine, which crashed to the bottom of the Barents
Sea some ten days ago.
Norwegian divers had managed to open the outside hatch
at the rear of the submarine earlier in the morning.
Inside they found the escape compartment flooded with
no signs of life. Russian officials had insisted the
hatch was too badly damaged to open but Norway's
military contradicted that information.
Then, the divers managed to open the inside hatch and
discovered the rear compartment of the submarine was
flooded, indicating no more air left inside.
Already on Saturday Navy officials had almost ruled
out finding any survivors.
A special commission will use the information gathered
by the divers to figure out the cause of what the
chief of staff of Russia's Northern Fleet describes as
the worst disaster in the history of the country's
elite nuclear fleet.
President Vladimir Putin says his government is
increasing its help for relatives of the Kursk crew.
///PUTIN ACT IN RUSSIAN AND FADE///
The government has already allocated funds for the
relatives, he says but we will also help local
authorities provide them with lodging and medical,
communications and transport services.
The government is tripling the special funds for
relatives of the Kursk crew to the equivalent of about
535-thousand dollars.
Offers of help are pouring in from all over Russia.
Businessman Boris Berezovsky is reported to have
promised more than one million dollars from business
leaders. Newspapers also have published ads from
several private charities seeking more donations.
Newspaper editorials continue to lash out at the
government for its handling of the disaster amid
increasing anger over President Putin's initial
reluctance to accept foreign offers of help. An
opinion poll published Monday shows most of those
responding criticize Russia's leadership for waiting
until four days after the accident to accept foreign
assistance. (Signed)
NEB/LMK/GE
21-Aug-2000 07:48 AM LOC (21-Aug-2000 1148 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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