RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 4, No. 218, Part I, 9 November 2000
KLEBANOV SAYS NEW EVIDENCE SUPPORTS 'KURSK' COLLISION THEORY... Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, who heads the government commission investigating the causes of the sinking of the "Kursk" nuclear submarine, told journalists on 8 November that pictures taken of the vessel during the recent recovery operation support the theory that the "Kursk" collided with another vessel. Scratches and a dent between the submarine's first and second compartments suggest that such a collision took place, Russian media quoted Klebanov as saying. At the same time, Klebanov noted that the investigative commission is still considering three possible causes--a collision with another vessel, striking a World War II mine, and an on-board explosion. Navy commander Admiral Vladimir Kuroedov recently said he is "certain" that the "Kursk" disaster was caused by a collision with a foreign submarine (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 6 November 2000).
JC
...AS SECOND NOTE FOUND ON SUBMARINER'S BODY. Klebanov also revealed on 8 November that a second note had been found on one of the 12 bodies recovered from the wreck of the "Kursk" submarine. Russian television channels showed Klebanov reading parts of the message that detailed how the 23 seamen who had fled to the vessel's ninth compartment struggled during the last hours of their lives: "We are all feeling bad. We are getting weaker from the effects of carbon monoxide following the fire. Pressure is rising.... We won't hold out for more than 24 hours." A similar note was found on the body of another seamen shortly after the recovery operation got under way (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 26 October 2000).
JC
Copyright (c) 2000. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. http://www.rferl.org
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