Sunday, August 7, 2005
A Russian submarine trapped during a training exercise in Berezov Bay, 75 km south of Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka, has been rescued after it was cut free by a Royal Navy Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The crew of seven officers and midshipmen, who spent three days in temperatures around 6oC and were running out of oxygen supplies, were unharmed.
The submarine appeared on the surface at 4:15 p.m. local time. “The crew opened the hatch and climbed the rescue ship’s deck on their own,” said Admiral Victor Fyedorov. The first aid to the crew was given on ship Alagez, and they were transferred to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka hospital.
The British Scorpio ROV cut fishing nets and debris, freeing the trapped submarine. “The rescue operation was completed successfully. We thank everyone, and especially the British rescue crew,” said Fyedorov.
The submarine will be repaired and modernized. “After salvaging it, AS-28 will be carried on one of the rescue ship’s decks to the coast, where specialists will examine it,” said a spokesperson of VMS (“Company for secondary metal and boats”). Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged an inquiry into the incident.
The United States and Japan also sent equipment to help in the rescue. However, it was not used.
- Vyacheslav Milashevskiy (???????? ???????????), captain-lieutenant
- Antoliy Popov (???????? ?????), navigator
- Sergey Belezerov (?????? ?????????)
- Alexandr Uybin (????????? ?????)
- Alexandr Ivanov (????????? ??????)
- Valeriy Lepotyuha (??????? ????????)
- Henadiy Polonin (???????? ???????)