Russian Submarine Rescued, Crewmen Safe
By VOA News
07 August 2005
Seven sailors aboard a Russian submarine stranded on the floor of the Bering Sea since Thursday were rescued Sunday after being trapped on the floor of the Bering Sea for more than three days.
Senior officers of Russia's Pacific Fleet say all the crewmen survived their three-day ordeal in good condition. They left their mini-submarine unassisted when it was raised to the surface, a naval spokesman, Igor Dygalo says, and boarded a small boat that ferried them to an immediate medical exam on board a larger vessel.
A British remote-controlled diving vehicle cut military antenna cables that had been holding the sub on the ocean floor, nearly 200 meters down, since Thursday. Russian officials say a fishing net also was draped over the nose of the deep-sea observation vessel, but once that was removed they were able to bring the craft to the surface quickly.
The red-and-white striped submarine breached the surface at 4:26 p.m. local time or 0326 UTC. Russian officials say it was raised at "emergency" speed, apparently due to fears that the crew's oxygen supply was about to run out. The maritime drama took place about 75 kilometers off the shore of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's far east.
The United States and Britain both rushed rescue equipment to aid Russian naval crews. The Pacific Fleet spokesman says the successful rescue was made possible thanks to the joint efforts.
Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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