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Kurst Salvage Operation Begins
Almost a year after the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank, a salvage operation is under way.
It's being called one of the most ambitious salvage missions ever attempted.
The operation began Sunday with the launch of an unmanned deep-sea vessel to measure radiation levels on the floor of the Barents Sea.
Once the area is determined to be safe, Norwegian, Russian and British divers working from a Norwegian diving support ship, the Mayo, and its crew are expected to begin their risky two-month effort. The first dives could come as early as today.
Initial data from the robot indicated radiation around the Kursk did not exceed natural levels of background radiation in the Barents Sea, a statement from the office of Igor Dygalo, aide to the commander of the Russian navy, said today.
Three Steps of the Salvage Operation:
First, the team will use robots to cut off the front section of the sub, and leave it on the seabed.
This is a safety measure: The bow is where the explosions occurred that sank the Kursk. No one knows how many torpedoes remain there, or what condition they are in.
Next, a massive pontoon ¡ª 460 feet long, 120 feet wide and outfitted with 26 cables ¡ª will be brought in. The cables will be lowered, then clamped to holes cut in the sub's hull.
If all goes well, the pontoon will hoist the Kursk, including the two nuclear reactors that powered it, to just below the sea's surface, and tow it back to a specially prepared dock at the Northern Fleet's base in Murmansk by mid-September.
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