Nuclear sub video reveals 'massive damage'

The escape hatch on the sunken submarine Kursk, as shown Sunday by a Norwegian robot camera

In this story: Little chance of survival Pessimistic prediction RELATED STORIES, SITES

MURMANSK, Russia -- Norwegian divers have reached the wreckage of Russia's crippled Kursk nuclear submarine -- and found massive structural damage to the vessel, Russia's deputy prime minister said today.

Ilya Klebanov said video footage relayed from the seabed also raised questions about whether a British mini-sub would be able to dock with the Kursk in any attempt to rescue survivors.

Klebanov said the film showed extensive damage to the front end and conning tower of the sub as well as damage to the rear, including "a very serious crack" on the Kursk's escape hatch.

INTERACTIVE See the damage to the Kursk (Flash Player needed)    VIDEO Russian television news broadcast, translated into English, describes ongoing rescue attempts (August 19) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bud Kauderer tells CNN several factors preclude any survivors on stricken Russian submarine (August 19) 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

The LR5 mini-sub was to be used to dock with the Kursk at the hatch, giving any survivors from the 118 crew a means of escape.

Damage to the hatch could make it impossible for the docking procedure to be successful. Russian rescuers say they were able to get their equipment onto the submarine's hull several times in the past week but could not complete the docking.

The Norwegian divers also found on Sunday that six of the Kursk's nine sections were flooded with sea water, Klebanov said.

Rescuers now are seeing whether divers will be able to open the escape hatch manually.

But weather reports for the accident area in the Barents Sea, off Russia's northwest coast, are warning that a storm is brewing, which may hamper rescue efforts.

Little chance of survival

The reports from the seabed reinforce comments made Saturday by Klebanov, when he said the chances of finding anyone alive one week after the accident were slim at best.

On Sunday, Klebanov said the Russian navy now believed an external explosion, such as a collision with a mine, led to a detonation of the Kursk's torpedoes and a subsequent bigger blast.

Klebanov said that up to six of the forward compartments had been destroyed and only sailors in the rear three had any chance of surviving the blasts.

The Norwegian team slowly descended to the Kursk -- which is resting on the floor of the Barents Sea 110 meters (350 feet) below the surface -- to examine the submarine on Sunday.

They had planned to try to gain entry to the sub through an airlock and check a device that measures the pressure inside the submarine itself, to see whethe the inside pressure is too great to support life.

CNN correspondent Mike Hanna said the divers -- working in atmospheric pressures 11 times greater than normal sea-level pressures -- would also be monitoring the area immediately around the submarine for radiation levels.

Moscow has said the Kursk's nuclear reactors shut down immediately after the accident, but there has been no independent confirmation.

A decision on how to proceed with the mission will be based on the findings of the Norwegian divers -- specialists from the offshore oil industry.

The divers also will evaluate the chances of survivors being on board before a decision is made on how to proceed.

Senior Russian navy officers have joined Klebanov on board the Norwegian contingent's mother ship to decide the best way forward.

Pessimistic prediction

The British and Norwegian teams joined Russian rescuers at the accident site in the Barents Sea, off northwest Russia, on Saturday.

Hours before the arrival of the British and Norwegian teams, Russian officials made the announcement everyone feared: Most of the crew had been killed outright, and by now the rest were almost certainly dead.

The Norwegian vessel DSV Seaway Eagle takes part in rescue efforts early Sunday

Klebanov said on Saturday: "The absolute majority of the crew died in the first two minutes of the disaster, including those who were responsible for the command of the ship."

He also had warned that the damage would prevent the LR5 from docking with the submarine.

Russian Navy spokesman Ivan Dygalo said: "Many times (Russian) underwater rescuers tried to latch onto (the escape hatch) but they can't seal it properly.

"We should not look upon the arrival of the British rescuers as a panacea, as they will encounter the same problems," Dygalo said.

Mikhail Motsak, head of the Northern Fleet general staff, added: "We have crossed the critical borderline of survival which we have allocated to the crew according to our guidelines."

CNN correspondents Mike Hanna and Steve Harrigan contributed to this story

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Submarine disaster deals setback to Putin
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NORSAIR seismology research site
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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