Russians rush to rescue sailors

[Bellman]

The Russian navy is racing against time to rescue the seven crew of a deep-sea diving vessel trapped
on the ocean floor in the Russian Far East.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4747783.stm

Let us hope for a good outcome and bear a thought for their families.

[Bellman]

BBC 0538 UK.

Russians attempt deep-sea rescue

The Russian navy is racing against time to rescue seven sailors from a submarine trapped on the sea bed in the Russian Far East.

A Pacific Fleet chief said a cable attached to the submarine by a rescue vessel had failed to move the sub.

Officials are warning the air supply is running low as conflicting reports emerge about how the sub was trapped.

US and British remote deep-sea rescue vessels are expected to reach the Kamchatka Peninsula later on Saturday.

Experts and rescue vehicles are being flown into the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from Britain and California.

Japanese vessels are also on their way.

[Kapitan]

6 more hours i rekon then thats it

[Bellman]

Los Angeles Times 23 mins ago.

Rescuers Arrive to Aid Russian Sailors Trapped Underwater By Kim Murphy and David Holley, Times Staff Writers

Kononenko said the military planned to finish work by 9 p.m. and it was her understanding that "there's enough air until 9 p.m."

We hope.

[Bellman]

ABCNEWS COM 26 mins ago

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV Associated Press Writer
The Associated PressThe Associated Press

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, Russia Aug 6, 2005 — U.S. and British planes carrying robotic undersea vehicles
landed in Russia's Far East on Saturday to help rescue seven sailors trapped in a mini-submarine far below the Pacific Ocean.

The crew's limited oxygen supply was dwindling, but officials couldn't say exactly how much remained.
One official on Saturday said the supply might last until Sunday.

Authorities plan to use the unmanned American and British submersibles, known as Super Scorpios,
to investigate the accident site and possibly cut the sub loose from entanglements.

[Bellman]

''Commander Ian Riches, who is heading up the British end of the rescue operation, said it was
a race against time as the oxygen in the submarine depletes.

"This is a life or death situation," he said.
"The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) will go into the water and down to the seabed and will try
to cut the wire, or whatever it is that`s snagging the submarine.

"The ROV has a manipulator which can cut through wire up to four or five inches thick and we think this
wire may only be around 1in.We hope the submarine will propel itself back to the surface.

"They (the sailors) are rapidly running out of air. We have to make sure we can get there and
release that cable so they can get back to the surface.

"We are optimistic we can get there in time to help - these sailors are part of our submarine brotherhood."

[_Skii_]

Might be a daft question, but its a mini sub, and it isn't that deep,

why can't they just attach a cable and winch it up ?

[Bellman]

The Russians tried it - shes entangled and snagged.

"The Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) will go into the water and down to the seabed and will try
to cut the wire, or whatever it is that`s snagging the submarine.''

[Bellman]

"We are awaiting the arrival of the British Scorpio in order to cut the submarine

free from the antenna and its anchor," Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified

senior staff officer with the Russian Pacific Fleet as saying.''

[Bellman]

Fantastic news just in :-

BBC announce:-

'Russian submarine and crew saved .

Scorpio underwater craft being loaded in UK, 5 August 05 The unmanned Scorpio craft helped free the vessel
A Russian mini-submarine stranded for three days beneath the Pacific Ocean has been brought to the surface after an international rescue effort.

The seven-man crew, who had faced low temperatures and dwindling oxygen, are all alive and were able to climb out of their submarine unaided.

The vessel, trapped 190m (620 ft) down, surfaced at 1626 (0326 GMT).

A British underwater robot helped rescue the craft, slicing through nets and debris entangling the submarine.

Russian military medics were on standby to treat the men, who had faced temperatures as low as 6C (43F) and a faltering oxygen supply.'

I am not a religous man but in these dark days this is a beam of hope that mans better side may prevail.

[Kapitan]

horray glad thier alive at least the russians aknowlaged the situation for once

[Bellman]

Yep - its that 'openess' thing

A great international effort.

A little light note - talking about the Scorpio Commander Jonty Powis of the Royal Navy said :-

She had '' a golf bag of tools ''

Guess it was a hole in one then. :|\