Works Are Completed In The 5th Compartment Of The "kursk" Nuclear Submarine

Rear-Admiral Mikhail Motsak, commander of the special expedition, reported that works in the 5th compartment of the "Kursk" nuclear submarine were completed. According to him, deep-water divers finally fixed two grapples in the central compartment of the submarine. Motsak stated that at present 2 cables with grapples were lowered down from the Giant-4 barge. Works are carried out to fix them to the body of the nuclear submarine. A group of 5 divers is permanently operating under water with one of them staying inside a special bell. Motsak indicated that after the Giant-4 barge coupled with the Kursk submarine entered the Kola bay the barge would be made significantly lighter. According to him, presently the barge is rather heavy, "for example, a single cable with a grapple weighs 22 tonnes". Meanwhile Igor Spassky, general designer of the Rubin Central Design Bureau, and Mikhail Barskov, deputy Navy Commander-in-Chief in charge of armaments, are still staying on board the Pyotr Veliky cruiser as due to weather conditions they are not able to fly by helicopter on board the Mayo diving ship.