Pressure On Lifting Cables Increased Before The Beginning Of Operation To Raise Kursk Submarine

Specialists from the barge Giant-4 have applied more pressure to the lifting cables attached to the hull of the Kursk nuclear submarine, official spokeswoman for Mammoet Larissa van Seumeren told RIA Novosti Sunday. As of this moment, a force of 150 tons has been applied to each lifting cable. In a short while, the raising team will make an attempt to lift the vessel's forebody off the bottom of the Barents Sea. Larissa van Seumeren hopes no rolling cable will be needed to get the submarine off the bottom. Nevertheless, two tugs with the cable attached are close at hand in case their help is needed. In the meantime, a previously announced live hookup with Special Task Expedition Commander Vice-Admiral Mikhail Motsak has been delayed. According to head of the Northern Fleet press service Vladimir Navrotsky, Motsak's helicopter is still on board the ship Mayo, where the vice-admiral is attending a conference. "The fateful meeting took longer than we expected," said Navrotsky. Results of the conference will be available shortly.