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Leak blamed for sub sinking
Details for our submariner readers - EFL:A leak - rather than a storm at sea - was the cause of the sinking of the Russian K-159 nuclear submarine that foundered in the Barents Sea last weekend killing nine seamen, according to a senior military source. The defence ministry said the sinking early Saturday came after towing pontoons broke away during a heavy storm as it was being towed to port to be scrapped, but a source at the naval general staff said the captain of the sub had radioed a message saying a leak had been detected. The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the captain, Sergei Lappa, "called the towing vessel by radio, saying a leak had been found at the propellor joints at the rear of the sub, in compartment nine." The seamen attempted to seal off the compartment, "but the water continued to pour in," he said. They also attempted, without success, to release the last reserves of compressed air into compartment eight in order to create an air pocket in the flooded area, he said. She was being towed to the scrapyard, bet they didnât bother to fill the airtanks before she left port. Mr Lappa called his superiors on the towing vessel to suggest allowing the submarine to sink in shallow waters near Kildin island which they were passing. The submarine was still stable but the towing vesselâs officers turned down the suggestion and ordered the crew to carry on with their efforts while awaiting the arrival of help, the source said. Had to wait for orders from above, years of training have killed any outside the box thinking. And killed the sub crew. When compartments eight and nine were both filled with water, the pressure on the attachments between the submarine and the pontoons became too strong, causing the submarine to break away, first to the fore and then aft. Leak around prop shaft, stern gets heavy, bow lifts, pontoons are now hanging from the sub instead of supporting it, they break off at the bow first transfering the load to the stern joint which then fails. The submarine then foundered within a few minutes, giving little chance for the crew, the source said. Only one of the 10 crew members survived. The bodies of two were recovered from the icy waters and seven others were still missing, their bodies presumed to be trapped inside the sunken vessel. RIP Posted by: Steve 2003-09-03 |
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