Additional facts and theories are emerging about the sinking of the Russian Navy’s nuclear-propelled submarine Kursk by internal explosions on 12 August. Following aborted efforts to rescue men believed trapped in the after portion of the Kursk, the Russian government has contracted with the Norwegian division of a U.S. firm to recover bodies from the submarine. Divers first attempted to enter the hulk through the after escape hatch but found it flooded. Apparently, efforts were made by the 23 men who had reached the temporary haven of the aftermost (ninth) compartment to escape from the submarine, resting in about 350 feet of water. Subsequently, divers cut holes into the double hull of the craft to enter the compartments. Unofficial sources have placed the thickness of the Kursk’s hulls at 1 ½ inches (40 mm) and almost 8 inches (200 mm). The first four bodies were brought to the surface on 25 October. One was Lieutenant Dmitry Kolesnikov, head of the submarine’s turbine section. A note found in his pocket recorded the last hours of the survivors:
All of the crew from the sixth, seventh, and eighth compartments went over to the ninth. There are 23 people here. We made this decision as a result of the accident. None of us can get to the surface.
Portions of the note, addressed to Kolesnikov’s family, have not been made public. There were no indications of the cause of the explosions. It still is not clear how long the men survived. Most of the 117 officers and enlisted men, and a single civilian technician in the submarine, were in the forward spaces. The apparent explosions of a torpedo’s or rocket’s fuel and then warhead ripped open the bow of the submarine. A blast, probably a ball of fire, and a wall of water were sent through the forward spaces, killing most of the crew in seconds. Probably the submarine’s amidships reactors and machinery dissipated the explosion, enabling the after bulkheads and doors initially to save the men in the aftermost compartments. In time, however, the distortion of the hull and possibly leaks through pipes and cable leads caused flooding and a buildup of pressure in the after compartments.
After recovering 12 bodies, recovery operations have been halted indefinitely because of heavy weather in the Barrents Sea. Russian officials continue to discuss salvaging the behemoth, but no efforts are known to be under way to develop the specialized equipment that would be required. The cost to salvage the submarine—estimated at up to $1 billion—will be the greatest deterrent to the operation. In addition, it is unlikely that Russian President Vladimir Putin will want a multi-month operation that will make daily headlines in Russia describing the ineptitude of the government.