The Remains of Kursk Submarine

kursk submarine 1

K-141 Kursk was a Russian nuclear cruise missile submarine which was lost with all hands when it sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000. It was named after the Russian city Kursk, around which the largest tank battle in military history, the Battle of Kursk, took place in 1943.

The Kursk sailed out to sea to perform an exercise of firing dummy torpedoes at Pyotr Velikiy, a Kirov class battlecruiser. On August 12, 2000 at 11:28 local time (07:28 UTC), the missiles were fired, but an explosion occurred soon after on Kursk. The only credible report to-date is that this was due to the failure and explosion of one of Kursk’s new/developmental torpedoes. The chemical explosion blasted with the force of 100-250 kg of TNT and registered 2.2 on the Richter scale [1]. The submarine sank to a depth of 108 metres, approximately 135km (85 miles) off Severomorsk, at 69°40′N, 37°35′E. A second explosion 135 seconds after the initial event measured between 3.5 and 4.4 on the Richter scale, equivalent to 3-7 tons of TNT [2]. Either this explosion or the earlier one propelled large pieces of debris far back through the submarine.

Kursk was eventually raised from her grave by a Dutch team using the barge Giant 4, and 115 of the 118 dead were recovered and laid to rest in Russia. Russian officials have strenuously denied claims that the sub was carrying nuclear warheads. When the boat was raised by a salvage operation in 2001 there were considerable fears moving the wreck could trigger explosions.





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via ru_warhistory

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    3:21 am


    77 Responses to “The Remains of Kursk Submarine”

    1. Che says:

      Фото, конечно, ужасные. Но есть и другие, где видно ровное круглое отверстие в правом борту. Как от торпеды. В фильме “Koursk - Un sous-marine en eaux troubles” об этом подробнее. Рано или поздно пендосы ответят за это.

      • Shrike says:

        Торпеда - это тебе не танковый подкалиберный снаряд, она не дырку делает, а взрывается, причиняя множественыые разрушения и деформации, в зависимости от угла и прочего. Кроме того, бредовую версию про американскую субмарину даже наше руководство уже не озвучивает, торпеды в носовой части взорвались сами по какой-то причине, хорошо хоть без ядерных боеголовок.

        • Che says:

          Версия с субмариной звучала и не раз. Причём по центральным каналам и со спутниковыми снимками повреждённой американской лодки. Уже потом всё сошло “на нет”. Если увидишь снимки правого борта “Курска”, то рассмотри их внимательно. Французский фильм многое объясняет, причём довольно-таки логично, и многие события того периода укладываются в эту логику. Почему не спасали моряков, почему президент демонстративно “отдыхал”, почему не поднимали целиком.
          А то, что эту версию не озвучивает руководство - так это понятно. Можешь представить себе последствия такой “предъявы”?
          Посмотри фильм, он есть в сети.

          • DJ says:

            http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/KURSK/kazouille_1105145210_torpille3.jpg

            here the picture with the hole witch you wrote about. but as Shrike already wrote, Торпеда - это тебе не танковый подкалиберный снаряд, она не дырку делает, а взрывается……. so in my opinion this hole has nothing to do with an torpedo

            • Che says:

              Картинка с того же сайта: http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/KURSK/kazouille_1105145222_torpille4.jpg
              Если взрыв произошёл внутри, то как может появиться такая вмятина? На картинке видно, что вмятина идёт внутрь, отверстие идеально круглое. Такого при внутреннем взрыве просто не может быть.

              • Henry says:

                Там был люк. Из-за давления воды изначально получилась вмятина.

              • mep3abeli says:

                Заметьте при этом, что за дыркой находятся:
                1 - шахта ракеты и ракета, которые были без сильных повреждений
                2 - деревянный цепной ящик, без повреждений
                3 - никакого отверстия и вмятины в прочном корпусе в этом месте нет.

      • What is пендосы?

    2. adios says:

      жуткие фото

    3. I am says:

      Rest in peace

    4. Boris says:

      I see, so a Dutch ship had to recover it. Russia has how much submarines\ships? Too many to be counted. The Russian authorities were lazy\cheap to recover it.

      It reminds me (1-3 years ago) when a Russian submarine was doing something top secret and got trapped. The whole world knew about this on the news, and emergency units from other countries(!!) had to be dispatched.

      • Henry says:

        Forgot about Tresher or Scorpion, sweetheart?

        • Keith says:

          What do the Thresher and Scorpion have to do with Kursk? If you are insinuating that they were lost and left you are mistaken. Both wreck sites were located and mapped. The cause of Thresher is known and resulted in changes in U.S. fleet operations. The cause of Scorpion is still debated but several plausible reasons are suspected. If you are insinuating that the U.S. doesn’t have the technical knowhow or will to do a recovery, you are also incorrect. Who recovered the sunken Russian Golf II missle boat off of Hawaii? and that was how many years ago?

      • Texas1 says:

        I forgot the story on this one. Didn’t the US know that this ship was in trouble and even offered to help. However, the Kremlin refused the help and everyone on board died needlessly.

        • John says:

          Exactly… and as you can see from these pics, they CONTRACTED the german(or whatever) company to help and lift it!?!?!?!?!

          Should’ve contacted them sooner to begin with, instead of trying to do it themselves, which was unsuccessful.

        • björn says:

          reports a week after said the entire ship was filled with water in seconds after the second explosion.

          noone died becaurse they were slow to act. you can say is was a bad thing to not act faster, but THIS time, it did not kill anyone.

          rip

      • meshca says:

        They were doing top secret missle testing. That is exactly why they wanted noone’s help to save the people in it when the incident occured. And there’s nothing wrong with commisioning a ship from a different country to raise a ship/sub.

    5. Ari The Finn says:

      quoted text: “The explosion

      The mission began in earnest on the morning of August 12, 2000. As part of the exercise, Kursk was to fire two dummy torpedoes at a Kirov-class battlecruiser. At 11:28 local time (07:28 UTC), high test peroxide (HTP), a form of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide used as propellant for the torpedo, seeped through rust in the torpedo casing. The HTP reacted with copper and brass in the tube from which the torpedo was fired, causing a chain reaction, leading to a chemical explosion.

      The watertight door separating the torpedo room from the rest of the sub was left open prior to firing. This was apparently common practice, on account of excess compressed air being released into the torpedo room when a weapon was fired. The open door allowed the blast to rip back through the first two of nine compartments on the huge sub, probably killing the seven men in the first compartment, and at least injuring or disorienting the thirty-six men in the second compartment.

      After the first explosion, due to the fact the air conditioning duct was quite light, the blast wave traveled to more compartments, including the command post filling them with smoke and flames. After the explosion, the captain was believed to be trying to order an ‘emergency blow’ which causes the sub to rapidly rise to the surface, but he was quickly overcome with smoke. An emergency buoy, designed to release from a submarine automatically when emergency conditions such as rapidly changing pressure or fire are detected and intended to help rescuers locate the stricken vessel, also failed to deploy. The previous summer, in a Mediterranean mission, fears of the buoy accidentally deploying, and thereby revealing the sub’s position to the US fleet, had led to the buoy being disabled.

      Two minutes and fifteen seconds after the initial eruption, a much larger explosion ripped through the sub. Seismic data from stations across Northern Europe show that the explosion occurred at the same depth as the sea bed, suggesting that the sub had collided with the sea floor which, combined with rising temperatures due to the initial explosion, had caused further torpedoes to explode. The second explosion was equivalent to 3–7 tons of TNT, or about a half-dozen torpedo warheads and measured 3.5 on the Richter scale. After the second explosion, the nuclear reactors were shut down to prevent a nuclear disaster, although the blast was almost enough to destroy the reactors.

      The second explosion ripped a two-metre-square hole in the hull of the craft, which was designed to withstand depths of 1000 meters. The explosion also ripped open the third and fourth compartments. Water poured into these compartments at 90,000 litres per second – killing all those in the compartments, including five officers from 7th SSGN Division Headquarters. The fifth compartment contained the ship’s nuclear reactors, encased in a further five inches of steel. The bulkheads of the fifth compartment withstood the explosion, causing the nuclear control rods to stay in place and prevent nuclear disaster. Western experts have expressed strong admiration for the Soviet/Russian engineering skill to create a submarine that withstood so much.

      Twenty-three men working in the sixth through to ninth compartments survived the two blasts. They gathered in the ninth compartment, which contained the secondary escape tunnel (the primary tunnel was in the destroyed second compartment). Captain-lieutenant Dmitri Kolesnikov (one of three officers of that rank surviving) appears to have taken charge, writing down the names of those who were in the ninth compartment. The pressure in the compartment at the time of the explosion was the same as that of the surface. Thus it would be possible from a physiological point of view to use the escape hatch to leave the submarine one man at a time, swimming up through 100 metres of Arctic water in a survival suit, to await help floating at the surface. It is not known if the escape hatch was workable from the inside – opinions still differ about how badly the hatch was damaged. However it is likely that the men rejected using the perilous escape hatch even if it were operable. They may have preferred instead to take their chances waiting for a rescue vessel to clamp itself onto the escape hatch.

      It is not known with certainty how long the remaining men survived in the compartment. As the nuclear reactors had automatically shut down, emergency power soon ran out, plunging the crew into complete blackness and falling temperatures. Kolesnikov wrote two further messages, much less tidily than before. In the last, he wrote:

      “It’s dark here to write, but I’ll try by feel. It seems like there are no chances, 10-20%. Let’s hope that at least someone will read this. Here’s the list of personnel from the other sections, who are now in the ninth and will attempt to get out. Regards to everybody, no need to be desperate. Kolesnikov.”

      end of quoted text

    6. Francesco says:

      I remember well the story. I had the feeling that they could have been rescued but it was better leave them at their destiny.

    7. narval says:

      I heard an interesting version:
      (conspiracy theory(?) warning)

      There was a big manoeuver where the russians had invited Chinese big brass military to, and Kursk, flagship of the russian submarine weapon, should showcase the new a new weapondesign, which somehow pushes air or gas in front of it to travel at much greater speeds than conventinal torpedoes (some 200 knots).

      At the time there was a bit of a ‘disagrement’ between China and USA, over Taiwan.
      Taiwan belongs to China, china thinks, US thinks owtherwise and had a strong naval presensce around Taiwan as china had threatened to march into taiwan with their military.

      The US didn´t want the chinese to get their hand on the shkval missiles, who could possibly use it against US, and wasnt happy about the russians showing/offering it to the Chinese.

      So, in cold war manner, they tagged Kursk with 2 sub´s, the USS Memphis and USS Toledo. Somehow Toledo and Kursk collided, damaging USS Toledo. (The russians first said that they had picked up some SOS, or atleast distress signals from, not Kursk at first, but from another sub)
      Kursk then opened its torpedo tubes, apparantly to fire on USS Toledo, and then USS Memphis in true cowboy style, fired a torpedo at Kursk which well..exploded and sank.

      Your remember the confusion and when Kursk first sank? the first reports, from the russian admiral (Popov?) at the scene, mentioned that it was foreign submarines responsible, and they even called in anti-sub helicopters and planes to try hunt the subs, but that admiral later withdrew his statement.. (and later on was fired by putin) After a month or two the russians instead made a statement about that Kursk had used to old outdated torpedoes, and one of them had just sort of just suddenly exploded, all by itself more or less.

      A day or two after the sinking, George Tenent head of the CIA at the time, arrived in Kreml for talks with the russians. First CIA director ever to visit Kreml apparentely
      And also quite shortly after the Kursk sank Russia got its billion dollar loan of US money extended or written off.

      Well heres some links:
      http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/34709834/m/377000767731/inc/-1
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_submarine_Kursk_explosion

      Whatever really happened: I cant beleive how long it took for the russians after the sinking, to say yes to foreign (Norweigan) help, over a week? and then it took a couple of days before the Norweigans could reach the scene etc.. and then there was ofcourse no survivors left.

      • john says:

        I wonder - I don’t know - how long it would take the US to ask for Chinese help if a US sub got into trouble near Chinese waters.

      • Jim says:

        Also there were some pics of a damaged US sub (USS Toledo?) in a dock in Norway or Finland right after this happened. Supposedly the subs collided causing the damage to both subs and resulting in the initial yet damning explosion on the Kursk. I don’t know if this is true or not but I saw the pics and it was a 688 class boat and it was damaged. It would also explain why the Director of the CIA would have to travel to Russia to do “damage control”. It would also explain the cover up story as a faulty torpedo (by both sides) to divert a war. It would also explain the monetary reprieve, which is akin to (the US) admitting guilt (but not) to keep the Russians happy. This was handled no differently than a lawsuit in the US courts where the perpetrator doesn’t admit guilt but is responsible, and then there is a gag order on the facts because the recipient agrees to the settlement.

        Lawyers handled this, both Governments agreed to it and the people who were actually involved, who should be the recipients of compensation, were kicked to the sideline. Mainly the family members of the Kursk.

        The Russian Government made out by Debt to the US being forgiven and the US was forgiven by being exonerated for causing Russian casualties.

        It was handled internationally like a lawsuit is handled in America.

        So, what does that tell all of us?

        Jim

        • meshca says:

          Wan’t there a damaged french sub, or was it the US sub? It docked nearby for repairs. I think another consp. theory was that a new torpedo technology russia wanted to test. It was a torpedo capable of destroying unsinkable submarines like the kursk. Not sure of further details but it either exploded in the tube or they were testing the missle on the actual kursk.

          @Jim, whatever happened it just lets you see that Russia is not the only country with a shady government.

    8. Ivan Minic says:

      I remember when this happend… Terrible tragedy :(

    9. ricky says:

      I remember this, all of the women at my work were praying for the men.

    10. The Kursk disaster was a great human tragedy.
      Let us hope that engineering improvements increase the safety factors in the future for all mariners - of all nations
      sincerely -Robert Cassidy - Denver -Colorado -USA
      bocacassidy@yahoo.com

    11. jim bain says:

      A very sad day, after many years serving in submarines the photos are very grim indeed.
      When sailors are in dire jeopardy we all act as one and I offer my hand to all the families and friends of the crew and hope they are able to find peace.

      thank you

    12. Kate says:

      Rest in peace, sailors.

    13. I was in sub school up in Connecticut when the Kursk was lost. What a horrible tragedy! My sincere condolences to all the families whose fathers and brothers will not be coming home.

    14. FT2 (SS) says:

      To these brave souls on Eternal Patrol… Rest in peace my brothers.

    15. E J Cox says:

      It is and was a tragedy. For men to huddle in worthless hope over 100 meters down tilltemperature and oxygen failed them. For a Nation who laced the equipment to rescue them, and for the wolrd to not push vociferously to rescue the lives…

      But there is so much of the same throughout our world everyday….

      Rest in Peace men of the Kursk. I am heartened that so many were recovered and returned to their loved ones….

    16. Susana says:

      Simplemente decir que las carreras armamentistas son tan canallescas (provengan de Rusia, USA o de donde sea)que lo último que quienes las propician tienen en cuenta es la vida humana. Es por ello que la tripulación pereció; porque los “secretos de estado” eran más importantes. Del mismo modo que en la actualidad para el genocida George Bush el asesinato y las masacres del pueblo irakí son solamente un “error de cálculo”. Al igual que para el rapaz gobierno israelí la barbarie que a diario comete contra el pueblo palestino.

    17. melody says:

      Some of you don’t speak Engilsh, witch is wierd!!

    18. Trinity says:

      I feel sorry for all the people who had friends & family in
      it, Sorry ):
      :-(>==

    19. tank says:

      sea… our mother.. our grave.. our hell.. our heaven… god save the sailor…

    20. stringfellow says:

      Sad occurance. But I feel that the lives lost, would have become more prestigious, if the main purpose of the submarine was a non-military responsibility. ‘Benig killed at an effort to show military power’ is something, which will not be empathized by the majority of the community.
      Poor employees of the craft. Amen.

    21. From one submariner to another
      rest in peace shipmates.

      on eternal patrol.

      goodbye

    22. Don Lennex says:

      Being a former Submariner; I know all my shipmates agree; Our prayers are with your families. Submariners (from any country); are a special breed of people. The loss of any submariner hits home. I served aboard USS Francis Scott Key (SSBN657), which is a comparable Submarine. The nature of a Subs existance, is always shrouded in danger. As with our Submariners, I know they were proud and couragous men who were willing to give the ultimate price for their service. Fair seas and prevailing winds my Submariner heros.

    23. Jeff says:

      Rest in Peace sailors…May Gods peace be with their families and freinds. A sad day indeed…

    24. elias says:

      Ficamos bastante consternados com o episódio do KURSK, pois haviam sobreviventes e eles sabiam que lhes restavam pouco tempo de vida. Nos solidarizamos com os familiares.

    25. Marinai del Kursk, comandante Kolesnikov, vi ricordero’ sempre.

      Kursk sailors, commander Kolesnikov, I’ll always remember of you.

    26. [...] foto`s; The Sinking Of The Kursk? "KURSK" Lifting Operation The tragedy aboard Kursk English Russia The Remains of Kursk Submarine Photo Essay 8/21/2000 - The Tragedy of the Submarine Kursk K-141 Kursk Accident Never seen pictures [...]

    27. [...] Englishrussia: The remains of the Kursk submarine [...]

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    29. Meshca says:

      If you’re implying losing submarines or anything else to accidents makes a country stupid, you my friend live in stupidity mike.

    30. ^_^ says:

      Some of the pictures have such strange feeling about them, a bit like Beksinski’s paintings. That whole rusty corpse of sub, fallen off scraps. The photo with blue light in cross-section hole taking the whole thing to some heavenly morgue.. And those decayed rubber bundles because of underlying story are like made of dead people..

    31. [...] imagens do restos do Kursk aqui. April 13th, 2009 in Tecnologia | tags: Giant 4, K-141, kursk, mar de Barents, peróxido de [...]

    32. Sashka says:

      Yah there are def mysteries behind this incident, and for that reason it’s probably best that the world doesn’t really know what happened because it could provoke unwanted conflict. Clinton and Putin wanted to resolve this peacefully and in secret. It just sucks that lives of young sailors were lost. They did recover part of a letter that was written by the trapper sailor, and it mentioned in the lines of “they didn’t want us to tell the world” (not direct quote). Which is really eerie to me. Almost like the secret was never let out just like the sailors.

    33. hgjghjghjhgj says:

      gayssssssssssssssssssss und boys weltweit geld rausholen

    34. hgjghjghjhgj says:

      milliarden , billiarden

    35. really heartning pictures of the submarine.i wonder what is the other word for bravery of the men who though in deep peril still had courage to write ;dont be desperate;.hats off may hthe heros live forever

    36. this tragedy we must keep in our minds.

    37. Sumar says:

      Shkval torpedoes were filled with clay, dummies. Usually they would have had multi kiloton nuclear warheads
      No way they could have caused this damage

      I’m betting on sabotage

    38. [...] out all the pics at EnglishRussia. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “Russian Sub Dredged up from the deep”, url: [...]

    39. spazo says:

      i wonder if they indeed find any traces of nucleur warheads

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