RUSSIA: SUBMARINE RESCUE OPERATIONS UPDATE скачать в хорошем качестве

RUSSIA: SUBMARINE RESCUE OPERATIONS UPDATE

(18 Aug 2000) Russian/Nat A rescue capsule reached one of the escape hatches on a sunken Russian nuclear submarine for the first time on Friday, but was unable to gain access because it was so badly damaged, a navy official said. The Russian rescue craft returned to the surface after repeated attempts failed. The rescue is hampered by poor visibility and strong currents, a navy spokesman said. Murmansk is home of the Russian Northern Fleet. The usually bustling port is now very quiet, after the tragedy of the Kursk. Residents are not impressed with the way the Russian government have handled the catastrophe. They accuse them of acting too late. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "It went down on the 12th, and they made it public on 14th. If they would have asked for help right away things could be differently." SUPER CAPTION: Andrei Pavlov In Murmansk, everything is ready for action at the local hospitals, the regional centre for the medicine of catastrophes, the blood transfusion centre, the ambulance service depots. The Murmansk shipping line is prepared to provide a sea-going liner, The Klavdia Yelanskaya, for use as a hospital if the need arises. In all churches on the Kola peninsula, prayers have been offered for the past four days for the rescue of the Kursk crew. Six days after the world first heard about a Russian submarine plight in the Barents sea, reports continue to arrive from different sources and different countries. Russian officials have claimed that the Kursk sank after a collision with a large object. But the deputy head of the Transport Ministry's northern sea route said that there were no civilian ships in the area when the Kursk sank. Some naval officers have said that any survivors were expected to run out of oxygen on Friday, but other high-ranking naval officers have given them until next week. British and Norwegian rescue teams were not expected to reach the site until Saturday at the earliest, after Russia initially resisted accepting western aid. A rescue capsule reached one of the escape hatches on the sunken Russian nuclear submarine for the first time on Friday, but was unable to gain access because it was so badly damaged, a navy official said. The Russian rescue craft returned to the surface after repeated attempts failed, said navy spokesman Capt. Igor Babenko. A larger escape capsule took over and was trying to link up with the hatch, he said. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "The rescue operation is under way. Yesterday ships from Norway set sail towards the areas if the rescue operation. One of them has group of Norwegian divers on board, the other one the British mini sub." SUPER CAPTION: Igor Bubenko, spokesman Northern Fleet Powerful currents and poor visibility have repeatedly beaten the capsules back. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) "The underwater rescue operation is hampered by strong underwater currents as well as mud that is being lifted from the sea bed by the engine blades of the rescue capsule." SUPER CAPTION: Igor Bubenko, spokesman Northern Fleet Four Russian rescue capsules have been trying since Tuesday to reach the 118 men aboard the shattered hulk of the Kursk submarine, lying 350 feet below the surface. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...