Britain rushes rescue craft to aid Russian sub

The British LR5 submarine rescue craft arrives in Norway on its way to the rescue site

Time running out for 118 trapped sailors

In this story: Craft operates in difficult conditions Heavy currents and poor visibility Torpedo blamed for sinking RELATED STORIES, SITES

LONDON (CNN) -- A specialist underwater rescue craft has arrived in Norway en route to the Barents Sea where it will join the operation to rescue Russian sailors trapped in the nuclear submarine Kursk, lying stricken at the bottom of the ocean.

The British Ministry of Defence sent its LR5 rescue submarine by air to the port of Trondheim on Wednesday, but British officials say it is not expected arrive at the scene until Saturday, with time running out for the 118 crew on board.

VIDEO CNN's Carl Rochelle explains why Pentagon officials think there may be no survivors Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Mike Hanna takes a look at British efforts for the Russian submarine Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) See a computer animation of how a rescue attempt might look Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Residents of the port city of Murmansk are angry over the rescue effort. CNN's Steve Harrigan reports Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     ALSO   •  LR5: The world's most advanced submarine rescue craft •  Deep secrets of the Russian sub missiles •  Damaged nuclear sub 'poses threat to environment' •  Agonizing wait for sailors' families •  U.S. survivors of 1939 sunken sub fear for trapped Russians     INTERACTIVE A litany of sub-par performances by Russian subs     MESSAGE BOARD Submarine rescue     RESOURCES   •  Diagram of rescue scenario •  Comparative size of stranded sub. •  Submarine position underwater •  CNN Cold War Special: The frightening world of nuclear accidents

A Russian cargo plane carrying the LR5 and a team of British experts flew from Scotland as efforts to reach the Kursk continued amid severe weather conditions above the Arctic Circle.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described the situation as critical, and Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov said there was no sign of life aboard the sub, but he added that did not mean there were no survivors.

Putin ordered the Russian military to accept any kind of assistance from any country that can help in saving the Kursk crew.

Deputy Navy Commander Vladislav Iliyn said the order came on Wednesday after a telephone conversation between Putin and U.S. President Bill Clinton.

The head of the Russian navy, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, said he believed there was enough oxygen aboard the submarine to last until August 25 -- one week from Friday -- which is far longer than previously thought.

Craft operates in difficult conditions

The LR5 is not as affected by bad weather as the diving bells the Russians have been attempting to use. In addition, it can operate at extreme angles.

The Kursk is said to be listing to one side in an area where there are strong currents and virtually no visibility. The 155-metre-long craft lies approximately 107 meters (350 feet) below the surface.

According to the LR5's manufacturer, Perry Slingsby Systems, the craft has a crew of two and can carry 10 people per dive to the surface.

It is not known whether the LR5 will be able to attach to the emergency hatch of the Russian submarine, particularly since the submarine is lying at an angle

Asked if the rescue sub was capable of attaching itself to the escape hatch of the Russian vessel, John Spellar, the British Armed Forces minister, said: "Our experts believe that should be possible."

He said British officials would be talking to the Russians about that issue and would also be trying to get an estimate of "how many resources" were still available aboard the submarine -- a reference to the oxygen supply.

British officials said the plane carrying the rescue vessel took off from a base near Glasgow, Scotland, around 12:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT) for the flight to Trondheim.

In addition, three RAF planes carrying equipment and decompression chambers left the Brize Norton Air Base near Oxford for Norway.

British officials said the rescue sub would be loaded aboard a private vessel, the Normand Pioneer, for the trip to the Barents Sea.

Heavy currents and poor visibility

Russian rescue efforts using a submersible have been impaired because of the extreme angle at which the submarine was said to be resting on the bottom of the Barents Sea as well as heavy currents and little visibility.

From: CNN Submarine Rescue Message Board

That vehicle, called a "Bester," can hold up to 20 people and can work four hours at a stretch under water, but had difficulty attaching itself to the escape hatch of the submarine.

"The attempt to connect failed. We will continue these attempts. What will the outcome be? We will see," President Putin told reporters.

Russian rescuers say if all else fails, they may try to raise the submarine with pontoons and straps.

There is concern, however, that the submarine could break apart if that were tried.

Portions of the vessel were damaged in what is believed to be an explosion that sent the submarine to the ocean floor last weekend.

Torpedo blamed for sinking

Russian officials continued to offer multiple theories for why the giant submarine -- one of the newest and biggest in the Russian fleet -- sank.

The PK75 rescue vessel with a submersible rescue capsule on its deck

Early on, the head of the Russian Navy said the submarine had collided with something. Later, it was said that an explosion occurred as torpedoes were being fired in a training mission.

Added to those explanations Wednesday was speculation that the submarine may have hit a World War II mine.

The 14,000-ton submarine is powered by two nuclear reactors. They were shut down when water flooded the front of the vessel after the explosion on Saturday and Norwegian authorities have said so far radiation levels remain normal.

The Russian Navy says there are no nuclear weapons on board the submarine, which is capable of carrying 24 nuclear-tipped missiles.

A Russian Navy spokesman raised the number of crewmembers from 116 to 118 on Wednesday but gave reporters no explanation for the change.

The families of the crew were brought to Murmansk to wait and hope for a successful rescue.

Family members were being kept away from the media. The government also sent psychiatrists to help the families deal with the anxiety.

Russians brave rough winds, frigid waters in attempt to rescue sub crew
August 16, 2000
Bad weather hampers Russian submarine rescue
August 14, 2000
Sinking theories surround Russian sub
August 15, 2000
Submarine disaster deals setback to Putin
August 15, 2000
Russian navy begins attempt to evacuate sailors from sunken sub
August 15, 2000
Kursk crew face cold, dark, scary wait
August 15, 2000
A history of accidents
August 14, 2000

Bellona Foundation
Perry Slingsby Systems
The History of the Submarine
World Navies Today: Russian Submarines
Jane's Information Group
The Government of the Russian Federation
NATO Official Homepage
U.S. Navy: Welcome Aboard
Royal Navy

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.