Russian Navy Akula II Submarine Nerpa on sea trials (Courtesy of militaryphotos.net)Following extract taken from the Russian Ministry of Defence website, translated by Old Crow and submitted for information and interest. Date of article: 9 November 2008
<<.. On 8th November, during contractor's sea trials by one of the Russian Navy's nuclear submarines (later identified as the "Nerpa")operating in a Pacific Fleet training area in the Sea of Japan, as a result of an accidental activation of the fire extinguishing system in compartments 1 and 2, 20 personnel died and 21 others were injured. Workers from the shipbuilding company and service personnel were among those who lost their lives.
The nuclear submarine had not yet been handed over to the Navy and was still undergoing contractor's sea trials which were being carried out by an examining team from the shipyard. The handover to the Navy should take place at the end of this year. On board the submarine was the inspecting/examining team which included workers from the shipyard and representatives from the contracting company and also 81 service personnel from the submarine's crew. The submarine is not damaged. The compartments have been ventilated. The main power plant - the reactor - is working correctly and the background radiation level on board is normal. The CinC Russian Navy has ordered that the trials be stopped and a decision has been taken to return the submarine to its temporary base at Primor'e. The submarine is proceeding under its own power and is being escorted by the rescue ship "Sayany". The injured and the bodies of those killed in the incident have been evacuated to the Fleet Medical facilities ashore by the Large ASW ship "Admiral Tributs".
There were 208 persons aboard the submarine. This included 81 service personnel.
The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Anatolij Serdyukov made an immediate report to the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitrij Medvedev about the emergency situation aboard a Russian nuclear submarine in the Sea of Japan. President Medvedev has charged Defence Minister Serdyukov with keeping the situation under constant supervision and to carry out a wideranging and full investigation of the incident and to afford all possible assistance and support to the families of those killed.
The First Deputy Minister of Defence, Colonel-General Aleksandr Kolmakov and the CinC of the Russian Navy, Admiral Vladimir Vysotskij, have left by air for the submarine's temporary base (Primor'e) in order to carry out an Investigation of the incident. In connection with the incident, President Medvedev has charged the General Procurator Yurij Chajka, to carry out a full investigation into the incident with a view to formal legal proceedings being required under a statute "Trangression of the Rules for the navigation and use of military ships, leading to the loss of life of more than two persons" ...>>
Thanks old friend for the interesting view of this tragic accident from the Russian point of view.