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WASHINGTON, Aug 14 (AFP)-The Pentagon said Monday there was no indication that any U.S. naval vessels were involved in the mishap that sent a Russian submarine to the bottom of the Barents Sea with a crew of more than 100.
According to ITAR-TASS news agency, a Russian admiral in Moscow said there were signs that the nuclear-powered Kursk was seriously damaged in a major collision, but gave no details on what it may have hit. "We have no indication that a U.S. vessel was involved in this mishap," said Rear Admiral Craig Quigley, a Pentagon spokesperson. Quigley would not comment on whether any U.S. submarines were in the vicinity of the Kursk at the time of the mishap. He said a U.S. surface vessel was in the general area "a long way away" from the Kursk, which is reported to have gone down some 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Russian port of Severomorsk, east of Norway. The Kursk had been taking part in a major air and sea exercise - the kind of event that would normally be followed closely by the U.S. military. Russian news reports said that the Kursk shut down the main nuclear reactor propelling its engines early Sunday. Radio communication from the submarine suddenly broke off, the reports said. It was reestablished shortly thereafter, but it took several hours for the vessel to be located. It was reported to be flooding, and that its crew was in serious danger. Russian Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedor told ITAR-TASS news agency that the navy deployed all its rescue forces but "the chances of a favorable outcome are not very high." Quigley said the Pentagon has received no request for help from the Russians. "I'm not sure what we could provide," he said. The U.S. Navy has deep submersible rescue vehicles designed to remove crews from sunken U.S. or NATO submarines. But he said, "I don't believe they are adapted to get a seal on a Russian submarine." |
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