"Kursk" could have been saved Bashny.Net

14 years ago, was tragically killed 118 officers and sailors of the nuclear submarine "Kursk". Today, I want to go back again to the terrible events of 2000 and tell that preceded the death of "Kursk", and that was then. It is time to look again at what happened to the "Kursk", and once again recognize the interconnectedness of the tragedy with the events that happened long before August 12, 2000.





Lies or ignorance?

I remember all that they said about the death of "Kursk" all kinds of specialists, auditors and guidelines. To remember every word to every intonation.

It was very strange to hear, when government officials, admirals and prosecutors with mournful faces lied that never in the Northern Fleet had no technology capable of lifting from the bottom of the surviving sailors unharmed. Lied and when declared that all rescue work at that depth Russians have never been conducted. Moreover, they lied to all of us from TV screens and in the media, lied to journalists and relatives of those killed, lied in their reports to the President. Have they decided that no one remembers that the Northern Fleet has over fifteen years (!!!) before the death of "Kursk" there was a unique emergency rescue service deep. Service, for which a possible rescue divers to stay alive "Kursk" would be a regular job and would take one day.

In 1981-1984 years I passed military service in the Northern Fleet in Severomorsk. He served in a special rescue service of the Northern Fleet (abbreviated SF ACC), ships which were based on the 15-berth Severomorsk, as well as in the village of wood, which is relatively close to the Vidjaevo (place of deployment of nuclear submarine "Kursk"). And the specificity of our work was to assist the submarine, which for some reason lay on the ground, and the crew was trapped.

But fast forward to 2000 to the events that followed the August tragedy. According to the then Naval and prosecutorial authorities, which they expressed after the death of "Kursk", we (ACC sailors SF) never existed.

Former Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov, who led the investigation into the death then the "Kursk", reported that a significant portion of sailors and officers of the submarine were presumably alive all (!!!) six to eight hours. And accordingly, no rescue service could not save them at all. He was seconded by the then Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, who claimed that the service that could save the sailors of "Kursk" is not, and never has been.
One of the notes sailors "Kursk", indicating that they were alive for a long time after the explosion



But senior officials Klebanov and Ustinov, to put it mildly, was not right, and this is confirmed by the facts.

I talked to a man who asked not to say his name, because he, according to Russian officials, does not exist and never existed in nature. This is a senior naval officer, who for ten years as head of a special unit of rescue divers rescue service of the Northern Fleet, which specialized in assisting submarines in distress. It was this man, as he and the team were immersed to a depth of one hundred and twenty - one hundred and fifty feet, and drew personnel from submarines lying on the ground. And these operations are carried out and the Barents Sea, and even in the same square, where there was the tragic death of "Kursk". This man - my immediate supervisor during the 1981-1984 period.

That is my current companion is, according to Messrs Ustinov and Klebanov, a ghost. But I have a proof of its existence is absolutely real. In the years 1982-1984, I personally was beside him on the rescue vessels "Altai" and "Ow. Trefolev "and your own eyes saw my companion and his team plunged into the depths of the Barents Sea and conducted training conclusions submariners. Also in my possession are the names and addresses of other members of the diving unit, commanded by my companion. They are ready to confirm every word of his former boss. I even call number "non-existent" military unit (ACC "Altai") in / h № 39199.

For a long time after the death of "Kursk" I was looking for this man, knowing that only he can tell me whether the sailors of "Kursk" any chance to survive. Interview did not work, was a monologue. Thus, the monologue of a man who could have saved many children with "Kursk". But not saved. And is not their fault.
Monologue ghost

"After surviving submarine" Kursk "realized that the struggle for unsinkable boat is useless, she lay on the ground, some of them moved in the aft compartment. They know that there is a hatch. Through it you can get out in two ways - by flooding the compartment or by sluicing through the hatch. Moreover, taking into account all the damage, I can say that divers could come to the surface through the door and through the free ascent.

Of course, some zakessonili would have died, unable to withstand pressure during ascent or would become disabled, but some people certainly would have remained alive and well. Understand that if contingency of a hundred people survive at least one, that's good. And, speaking of self-ascent, I want to add that for every submariner had a full set of safety equipment prepared for the ascent from a depth of two hundred meters. Of course, in the ninth compartment of these kits are not enough for everyone, but they had to be there. These rescue kits for some reason stubbornly silent. Although I admit the fact that the "Kursk" in front of the entrance to the last shooting was a long voyage and rescue equipment at the time of death of the boat was out of or was impounded in one place, because after a long hike it is necessary to check, bring to mind.

The death of a dozen sailors who might come to the surface through a hatch in this outfit, lies on the conscience of the admiral, who commanded the "Kursk" to advance to the shooting data without checking for rescue kit. Perhaps that is why none of the inspection and do not stammer spaskomplektah.

Now let's ask ourselves: if we could save the sailors of "Kursk"? The answer is clear: yes, we could. Let not all, but many. I'll tell you a bit about us. Rescue Service of the Northern Fleet was represented in the 80s a unique phenomenon, she was the only one of its kind. Such vessels 27-year project, as the SS "Altai" SS "Trefolev" and SS "Beshtau" could help "Kursk" and save a significant part of the crew of submariners. Each of the three ships were 30 deep-divers and had a full set of equipment. We conducted military exercises and lifting people out of these boats. I personally deduced crew with a depth of 120 meters. My divers always, I repeat, always in a thirty readiness to sail and dive to 160-200 meters for the salvation of seafarers.

And another important fact. In the 80 years our service continuously provides firing submarines, being "at the point", that is in the immediate vicinity of the nuclear-powered icebreaker. And if our service is not destroyed, we will, of course, would be placed near the "Kursk". What would our actions in the situation that happened with this submarine? They worked out the details. So, let us get on time.

Within an hour, the headquarters knew about the tragedy on "Kursk". Our courts had to be fixed "on the drums" at the point of the boat - it would take another two hours. After the "go" to the rescue divers bell, which is designed for ten people are saved, and the two operators-divers. For a few runs, we derive their ships and placed in a pressure chamber twenty or thirty, maybe even forty survivors submariners. Also, it was possible to save people without bells, they could bring to the surface the divers themselves. Such techniques have also been worked out by us and repeatedly tested in action. Depth something quite small - 104 meters minus thirty meters the boat itself, total turns seventy-four to seventy-two meters. This is elementary for my boys. All divers output operation takes about three hours. Total turns out that we would have spent to rescue the survivors of seamen "Kursk" no more than 5-6 hours, and then some, and, I think, much, some divers would have been saved.

And more. If, according to experts, the stern hatch jammed, then it is not a barrier for us. Our diving rescue service has unique equipment for cutting under water at great depths. At the opening of the hatch, we spent no more than 20-30 minutes. Especially since we repeatedly practiced this operation and know exactly the point where it was necessary to produce metal cutting. So the only service that could save the survivors submarine was diving rescue service of the Northern Fleet. We somehow deduced crew of the submarine, located on the ground. There are 16 people died of seafarers, which is more than 120 sailors. And this is a serious result.

But you can ask a reasonable question: where was the service at the time of the death of "Kursk"? My answer: in the late 80's and early 90's it just destroyed and destroyed "superfluous." The most stupid argument destruction diving unit ACC was this: nobody has seriously drowning, so why spend money on your service?

Unique rescue equipment was sold for a penny or written off for scrap. So, the legendary SS "Altai" now lies 65 meters depth near Severomorsk. In his early 90s written off and sold some company, which has destroyed the ship. SS "Trefolev" and SS "Beshtau" also written off and sold to various private companies. A ship "Karpaty", which could raise from a depth of up to 800 tons of cargo (!!!), for some reason, was forwarded to the Baltic Sea and at the time of the death of "Kursk" was on the moors at the pier in Kronstadt.

Who gave this catastrophic destruction of sale and the only navy rescue diving service? There is such a person. I can not think of his name. This is for a number of reasons, including their own safety ».

Instead of an epilogue

I'd add some statistics and facts, and the conclusions are obvious.

In the years 1945-1990 the Soviet Navy received 310 rescue vessels, including two who had no analogues in the world while the submarine rescue (CPF) Project 940 "Lenok." At the time of the death of "Kursk" in service management search and rescue operations (UPASR) Navy left only 23 rescuers, among whom was even one built ... in 1915. In addition, all vessels were scattered in various fleets from the Black Sea to the Pacific. From 1991 to 2001, the Navy has not entered any new lifeguard, but it was written off nearly 40 vessels, including two submarine rescue and unique ACC "Altai", "Trefolev" and "Beshtau", which probably could to save the crew of the "Kursk".

Rescue ship "Altai". In 1993, decommissioned and sunk. Superfluous ...



Rescue ship "Karpaty". At the time of the death of "Kursk" was on the moors in Kronstadt



During this dark period of the collapse of the rescue service management search and rescue operations (UPASR) led the Navy Rear Admiral Gennady Verich. I think it was about this man and the head of the unit said rescue divers and my former commander.
PS. Now the situation has fortunately changed. After the death of "Kursk" were procured and delivered to fleets remotely operated underwater vehicles "Tiger", "Falcon", "Review-150", "Venom", for search and examination of underwater objects on the ground, as well as for various Underwater technical work. Now rescue fleet service employs highly deepsea divers, fully secured the necessary equipment. But all the current achievements will not return life to those submariners "Kursk", which could save the specialists of emergency service of the Northern Fleet. Then, 14 years ago ... It

Rescue Service of the Northern Fleet. 80s. This service allegedly never existed.