Submarine drama transfixes, angers Russians

Rescuers await British mini-sub's arrival

In this story: British 'extremely hopeful' Analysts blame torpedo Putin: Slim chance for crew U.S. readying team RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

MOSCOW -- As British rescuers rushed to the aid of the stricken Russian submarine Kursk, relatives of the sailors trapped in the sunken vessel vented their despair and anger on a top Russian official.

INTERACTIVE See the damage to the Kursk (Flash Player needed)    VIDEO CNN's Mike Hanna explains what went wrong with the attempts to rescue the Russian sub's crew Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Steve Harrigan talks to the distraught family members Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Mike Hanna shows video from the scene (August 18) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN exclusive: Two Norwegians fly into restricted air space to photograph the Russian submarine rescue scene Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     IN-DEPTH Russian sub crisis: Background on Kursk disaster and rescue efforts     ALSO   Accident typifies plight of Russian military Anger grows amid vigils for Kursk crew The man who built the LR5 'Ocean astronauts' ready for their submarine rescue Survivor relives Soviet submarine nightmare    •  Kursk final refuge  •  Timeline of Kursk events  •  Comparative size of the Kursk  •  Sub's position underwater  •  Anatomy of the Kursk  •  About the Kursk's namesake  •  Video Archive  •  Story Archive  •  Discuss changes in Russia

Intending to give a speech to the wives and mothers of the sailors, Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov was heckled and shouted down during a meeting Friday in the closed town of Severomorsk. As the anger grew, a crew from a local television station was ordered to leave the meeting.

"Who is to blame for all this?" one woman shouted at Klebanov, while a third woman, tears streaming down her face, said she had heard enough excuses for inaction from officials.

The fate of the disabled submarine has transfixed this sprawling nation like few events before. Though hard facts are few, Russians are glued to TV news reports.

"The whole country is on edge over this thing. It's terrible. Imagine dying that way," said Vladimir Solyunov, a security guard working in downtown Moscow.

"My heart is aching for those 118 people on board," said Konstantin Yablokov, a World War II veteran who served in the Soviet navy. "I turn on the television a hundred times a day. I just don't know what can be done. I don't have words to express what I feel."

British 'extremely hopeful'

Four Russian rescue capsules have worked around the clock since Tuesday to reach the sub, which sank during navy maneuvers on Saturday. Russian TV reported that a capsule did latch onto the sub Friday, but the escape hatch was buckled and torn and could not be opened.

A Russian television reporter near the site where the sub sank said that an emergency diving bell was able to reach the deck of the submarine and latch on to the submarine's docking platform. He said the bell tried to pump out water to open the hatch, but were unable to because of the damage to the locking rings.

Navy spokesman Capt. Igor Babenko said rescue efforts were continuing. "We are still not losing hope," he said. "Experts say this is possible and that is the only reason why this work does not stop for a minute."

Commander Alan Hoskins of the UK Royal Navy told CNN the mini-submarine LR5, which left Trondheim, Norway, on Thursday, is still on course to reach the site early on Saturday afternoon.

The British team said their rescue mission could begin as soon as the extent of the damage to the rear escape hatch has been established.

Though the sub's hatches are damaged, the man leading the British rescue bid said he was still "extremely hopeful" of finding survivors when the operation begins tomorrow.

British Ministry of Defense officials have seen a Russian video of the submarine, which is lying at a sharp angle on the sea bottom, 350 feet below the surface of the Barents Sea. They say they are confident the LR5, which will carry a Russian doctor and two Russian technicians as well as its two-man crew, will be able to latch on to the sub.

Analysts blame torpedo

The Russian navy, which was conducting a major naval maneuver at the time the Kursk went down, has alternately blamed the loss of the 505-foot-long nuclear submarine on a collision, an on-board explosion, or possibly an encounter with a long-lost World War II mine.

Analysts say a likely scenario was that a torpedo in the Kursk's forward torpedo compartment exploded, setting off a much bigger explosion in the compartment, which is usually packed with torpedoes.

Two explosions from where the submarine was located on Saturday were recorded by United States Navy equipment and even registered on Norwegian seismic equipment.

Ships at search site

Video shot by the Russian navy has shown that the front of the Oscar-class sub was severely damaged from the bow to behind the first fins, including the area of the front escape hatch and the periscope area.

Klebanov told reporters that there is a "terrifying hole" on the starboard (right) side of the Kursk, where about half of the crew was thought to have been, hinting that they probably did not have time to escape what he called a "catastrophe that developed at lightning speed."

Putin: Slim chance for the crew

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he knew from the start there was only a very slim chance to save the submarine crew trapped on the sea bed, and defended his low profile during the crisis.

Putin, under fire at home and abroad for his decision to remain in a Black Sea resort during the frantic rescue effort, said his first wish had been to fly to the scene, but he stayed back because he feared he would hamper rescue work.

Russia's press has lambasted the former KGB spy for keeping quiet for more than three days after the 118 sailors were trapped on the Kursk due to an as yet unknown accident, and for delaying a call for foreign help.

U.S. readying team

YOU SAID IT From: Submarine rescue message board Post your comments on the rescue mission

Meanwhile, the United States has assembled a team of experts in under-sea operations to act as "consultants" to gain access to the stricken submarine.

On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary William S. Cohen made the offer in a letter to Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev, who "expressed appreciation for the offer of assistance and ... asked that we work through NATO channels," Cohen said Friday in a briefing at the Pentagon.

The British rescuers are to be joined by a team of Norwegian divers on Sunday.

CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty, Correspondents Mike Hanna, Steve Harrigan, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Russia considers dragging sub to shallow water
August 17, 2000
Agonising wait of sailors' families
August 16, 2000
Damaged nuclear sub 'poses threat to environment'
August 16, 2000
Britain rushes rescue craft to aid Russian sub
August 16, 2000
Submarine disaster deals setback to Putin
August 15, 2000

NORSAIR seismology research site (Norwegian/English)
   •  NORSAIR map of submarine site
UK Ministry of Defence
Perry Slingsby Systems: LR5 manufacturers
World Navies Today: Russian Submarines
Jane's Information Group
Russian Government
NATO

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