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BlackCat
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Well, it's not actually news - it's at least 12 hours old, and no polys seems to be interested. Though, I really feel my claustrofobia triggered so here the story.
One good thing seems to be that the russians have learned a lesson and allows other to contribute to the rescue.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4127586.stm
quote:
Rescuers battle to free sub crew
Scorpio underwater craft being loaded in UK, 5 August 05
Hopes now hang on the unmanned Scorpio craft that can work at depth
An international rescue mission is underway to free seven crewmen of a mini-submarine trapped in deep water in the Russian Far East.
A British undersea robot has now made contact with the vessel at the accident site, off the Kamchatka peninsula.
The Scorpio craft is attempting to cut the mini submarine free of the debris pinning it to the seabed.
A US crew is also on its way to the site, as oxygen supplies on board on the Russian sub reportedly run low.
SUPER SCORPIO CRAFT
Length: 1.2m
Width: 1.2m
Height: 2.4m
Max depth: 1,520m
Tools: Cable cutter and two lifting arms
A spokesman for the British team said that the Scorpio had already begun to sever the nets trapping the mini-sub.
"We are in the water and are now working around the sub, cutting a bundle of nets strung tightly around the arc of the propulsion section," Roger Chapman told the BBC's World Tonight programme.
The Russian Priz submersible - itself a rescue vehicle - was on a training exercise when it got snagged and trapped underwater on Thursday.
Mr Chapman said freeing the mini-sub could allow it to travel back up to air level.
"Once the debris is clear, if the crew are able to operate their equipment, they can do a controlled ascent," he said.
The Russian navy has so far failed in its rescue attempts to extricate the Priz which sank to a depth of 190m (620 ft) after the accident.
Click here to see where the submarine is stranded
Initial reports said the vessel was trapped in vast fishing nets but later it emerged that the sub may also be snagged by an underwater antenna, said to be part of a coastal monitoring system.
The sub's very heavy anchors are also hampering efforts to move it.
PRIZ SUBMERSIBLE
Priz submersible
Length: 13.5m
Width: 3.8m
Maximum speed: 3.3 knots
Maximum depth: 1,000m
Hull: Titanium
Air supply: 120 hours
There have been contradictory reports about how much oxygen is left on the Russian vessel.
Naval officials said they were keeping in touch every hour with the crew through acoustic signals. All were said to be unharmed.
Russian Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Viktor Fyodorov said work is continuing round the clock "and will not stop until we actually lift our guys up to the surface".
Echoes of past
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow says the confusion surrounding the rescue is making the scenes eerily familiar.
Almost exactly five years ago, the Kursk submarine sank after explosions on board, killing all 118 men on board.
This time too, it took more than 24 hours before the navy admitted to an accident and longer still to ask for help, our correspondent says.
Some of the sailors survived the initial blast, but ran out of oxygen. The authorities then were accused of a cover-up
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07-08-2005 06:13
to the Brits. 
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