Operation to salvage Kursk's first compartment postponed again - 21 May, 2002

The putting to sea of ships assigned to the Special Naval Expedition to salvage the first compartment of the Kursk nuclear submarine has been postponed again. This information was disclosed on Tuesday by the press service of the Russian Northern Fleet. According to the Fleet's meteorological service, a storm in the Barents Sea is still continuing: there are force-four waves with wind gusts up to 15-20 mps. Experts believe such weather will stay for the next few days. The Mikhail Rudnitsky vessel, the Altai tug and the Kil 164 support vessel are ready to put to the site where the Kursk nuclear submarine sunk. But, the operation to salvage fragments of the sub's first compartment by means of a remote-controlled vehicle will start only when sea swell in the zone is less than three points.