Nuclear submarine K-159 to be raised in summer 2004

The nuclear submarine K-159, which sank in the Barents Sea on August 30, will be raised in the summer of 2004. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was announced yesterday by Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy Mikhail Barskov. He said that plans are already underway for raising the submarine. 'Once the plan is ready we will confirm the dates for raising the vessel,' he said. However, he added that the raising of the submarine will depend on the weather next summer but he did confirm that the manoeuvre will be carried out exclusively by Russian experts, without the help of foreign companies. The Kursk submarine was raised in 2001 by the Dutch company Mammut.

The K-159 sank three miles to the north-west of the island Kildin and lies on the seabed at a depth of 200 metres. Ten people were onboard the vessel when it sank although one was saved in the rescue mission. The submarine had been out of use since 1989 and had been moored at the port of Gremikha. On August 28 the submarine was towed out of the port and was heading for the scrapyard in the coastal town of Polyarny. However, a storm on the night of August 29th and 30th ripped off the submarine's hulls and the vessel sank.