|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | Editions | myCNN | Video | Audio | Headline News Brief | Feedback | |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|  |
Nuclear sub escape hatch can be opened, Norwegians sayNorwegian divers study similar sub to plan next stage
MURMANSK, Russia -- Norwegian rescuers today said the escape hatch on the crippled Russian submarine Kursk could be removed, contradicting earlier reports that the hatch had sustained extensive damage. John Espen Lien of the Norwegian Armed Forces offered hope that the international rescue teams could gain entry to the stricken nuclear submarine with its 118 crew members. Norwegian divers have been flown by helicopter to the naval town of Vidyayevo on the north coast to study a submarine similar to the Kursk before they decide on the next stage of the rescue. The Norwegian deep-sea divers managed to remove the bolts on the submarine on Sunday, but there had been fears that the escape hatch had been too badly cracked to be opened.
"The hatch is OK," Lien said. "It is not flooded with water. It will not take a long time to open the hatch." He added: "If we do it in the wrong way we could make further progress more difficult. "We are taking some time to do calculations and discuss the best solution." Norwegians studying Kursk replicaNorway's Vice Adm. Einar Skorgen, who is heading the Norwegian rescue mission, said two divers had flown to the Russian naval base to examine what was inside an escape hatch. "We have to clarify the consequences of opening it," he told Norway's independent TV2 television, adding that rescuers were still "a fair way off" from any attempt at opening the hatches. Skorgen told CNN that the rescuers were "pushing the operation as fast as we can" without jeopardizing the safety of the divers. He added that divers believed air remained in the outer hatch, but it was not clear whether any was in the lower hatch. The rescue teams are working against weather forecasts which are predicting a worsening in conditions. "Weather conditions are excellent at the moment," he said. "It might perhaps be a little more difficult. We do not know how far the wind will come in." ContradictionsLien's comments contradict earlier statements from the Russian government on the state of the submarine lying about 110 meters (350 feet) down on the bottom of the Barents Sea. Ilya Klebanov said video footage had shown massive structural damage to the vessel, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the British Royal Navy's mini-sub, the LR5, which had arrived Saturday. He 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 escape hatch. Russian mini-sub efforts to dock equipment onto the submarine's hatch had failed several times in the last week, and it was feared the LR5 would not be able to lock on. But Lien said the LR5 was one of two options still being considered, as well as the Russian mini-subs. Hope was still offered by Commander Mike Finney of the British Defense Ministry, who said that Norwegian and British divers still considered it a rescue mission. "The one thing that nobody knows is actually the true state of the internal parts of the submarine," he said. "I have to say it has now been a week since the accident occurred, and therefore the chances of survival of anyone on board must be remote and slim. However, that chance remains." Klebanov, Russia's deputy prime minister, had said the rear hatch had been so badly damaged that a hydraulic crane would have to be used to rip it off. Skorgen said he could not explain the contradictions but that he had confronted the Russians about it. Putin's tears and aching heartRussian President Vladimir Putin made an effort to share in his country's woes on Sunday when he said it was "no exaggeration to say tears and an aching heart" were being felt by all. A tired-looking Putin, criticized for remaining at his holiday home during much of the failed Russian rescue attempts, offered solace and determination to the Russian people. "Our hearts are aching, all of us," he said. "Sometimes events rather than us dictate what happens." But he added the Russians would "work until the last moment." Russians have almost given up hope. Those attending memorial services at Russian Orthodox Churches in Murmansk on Sunday were praying for the sailors' souls rather than for their survival. Mikhail Motsak, head of the Northern Fleet general staff, had said earlier: "We have crossed the critical borderline of survival which we have allocated to the crew according to our guidelines." He said up to six of the forward compartments of the submarine had been destroyed in what was believed to have been an external explosion, possibly caused by a collision with a mine. CNN correspondents Mike Hanna,Steve Harrigan and Reuters contributed to this report. RELATED STORIES: British, Norwegians begin sub rescue attempt despite Russian pessimism RELATED SITES: NORSAIR seismology research site | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back to the top |
© 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. |
![[CNN Money]](http://i.cnn.net/cnn/images/main/fn.logo.newsnet.gif){kind=logo}
![[SI.com]](http://i.cnn.net/cnn/images/main/si.logo.gif){kind=logo}
(
