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Russian nuclear submarine sinks
AP - A decommissioned Russian nuclear-powered K-159 submarine bound for the scrapyard sank in the Barents Sea, killing at least two of the 10 member crew, the Defence Ministry said.
The submarine's nuclear reactor was shut down at the time the vessel sank about 4am (1200 AEST) about three nautical miles north-west of Kildin Island, the Defence Ministry said.
No weapons were aboard the sub, the ministry confirmed.
One sailor has been rescued, the bodies of two dead crew members were found and the fate of seven others were unknown, the ministry said.
On August. 12, 2000, an explosion shook the nuclear submarine Kursk during exercises, sending it to the bottom of the Barents Sear. All 118 men on board were killed.
The K-159 had been decommissioned on July 16, 1989.
Just two days ago on August 28, the sub was being towed on four floating hulls from its base in the town of Gremikha to a plant in the town of Polarnye to be scrapped.
The hulls were ripped off the towed sub on Friday night during a fierce storm and the submarine sank in 170 metres of water, the ministry confirmed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Sardinia for meetings with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. It was unclear whether he had been informed of the sub's sinking.
©AAP 2003
AP - A decommissioned Russian nuclear-powered K-159 submarine bound for the scrapyard sank in the Barents Sea, killing at least two of the 10 member crew, the Defence Ministry said.
The submarine's nuclear reactor was shut down at the time the vessel sank about 4am (1200 AEST) about three nautical miles north-west of Kildin Island, the Defence Ministry said.
No weapons were aboard the sub, the ministry confirmed.
One sailor has been rescued, the bodies of two dead crew members were found and the fate of seven others were unknown, the ministry said.
On August. 12, 2000, an explosion shook the nuclear submarine Kursk during exercises, sending it to the bottom of the Barents Sear. All 118 men on board were killed.
The K-159 had been decommissioned on July 16, 1989.
Just two days ago on August 28, the sub was being towed on four floating hulls from its base in the town of Gremikha to a plant in the town of Polarnye to be scrapped.
The hulls were ripped off the towed sub on Friday night during a fierce storm and the submarine sank in 170 metres of water, the ministry confirmed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Sardinia for meetings with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. It was unclear whether he had been informed of the sub's sinking.
©AAP 2003
