Lord Nelson would be proud.
Posted on 08/07/2005 3:26:55 AM PDT by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide
Trapped Russian mini-sub, crew rescued in Pacific Sun Aug 7, 2005 10:08 AM BST By Oliver Bullough
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Rescuers cut free a Russian mini-submarine ensnared in deep-sea cables on Sunday, saving its seven crew with British help, after a three-day ordeal at the bottom of the Pacific with dwindling oxygen.
"Today was a very happy event. The intensive work to free our submarine at a depth of 200 metres brought results... Our comrades in the crew opened the hatch themselves," said Admiral Viktor Fyodorov, commander of Russia's Pacific Fleet.
"They behaved valiantly over these 76 hours under water, we heard no complaints, all we heard was that they were fine... It is worth living for these moments."
The seamen were put on a rescue ship to be taken to hospital in the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on the eastern coast of the Pacific peninsula of Kamchatka for further observation.
The rescue of the AS-28, itself a rescue vehicle, was made possible by a British Scorpio underwater robot flown out to the scene, which severed the cables tangled around it.
Underwater footage aired on Russian television showed pieces of net wrapped tightly around the red-and-white-striped submarine, and the Scorpio pulling them away.
Officers had said they might only have Sunday left to rescue the men stuck on board the AS-28, which was snarled up in fishing nets and the antenna of an underwater listening station, because of their limited air supply.
"RUNNING OUT OF OXYGEN"
"We were conscious that the crew were running out of oxygen and that we could not afford any great delays in cutting them free," said the British Navy's Commander Jonty Powis, a specialist on submarine rescue who was monitoring the operation.
"We understand that the sailors are safe and well, and they had about 10 to 12 hours left in oxygen supply."
The accident, which occurred on Thursday but only came to light the following day, stirred up memories of a botched attempt to save a Russian submarine five years ago.
The nuclear-powered Kursk sank in the Barents Sea in August 2000 after two huge underwater explosions and all 118 crew perished in a drama that traumatised Russia.
President Vladimir Putin was criticised for failing to break off a holiday on the Black Sea while rescuers battled in Arctic waters to reach the doomed crew.
This time, Putin has once again stayed silent. But in a sign of Kremlin concern, he sent Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov to Kamchatka to take charge of the rescue operation, although he had not arrived at the scene before the AS-28 was rescued.
Russia's foreign ministry thanked Britain, the United States and Japan for their help. U.S. divers took part in the operation, while Japanese ships were sailing to the scene.
"Thanks to the jointly coordinated activities of Russia, British and American servicemen, this unique operation to save the crew was achieved," it said in a statement.
But opposition parties pledged to raise the affair in parliament, suggesting the government might not escape all political fall-out from the accident.
"This story with the submarine raises a whole series of questions, which have to be answered by the military prosecutors and the defence ministry," Rodina leader Dmitry Rogozin told Interfax news agency.
Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov said: "It is completely incomprehensible why the British have the necessary technology, but we don't. If we can't make effective rescue equipment ourselves, we need to buy it abroad."
© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
Two U.S. rescue transports were on hand.
Bloomberg reports all rescue transport planes were refueled for return flights free of charge.
Can't help but notice that their friends Iran and China didn't help them out.
The entire world of Islam probably could care less about anyone other than themselves.
Neither has the balls to provoke American or British, or even Russian navies.
Lord Nelson would be proud.
Best News of the Week! Month even!
This Commie missed a great opportunity to shut up and just be grateful the British kick ass.
Neither have the technology. (makes me wonder why japan was rushing to help)
These adorable little girls have their father back again.
Doesn't sound like the words of someone who would order military action against British of US sailors. Hail Britannia, God Bless the US Navy.
It's called "capitalism," comrade.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never will be slaves.
The nations not so blest as thee,
Shall in their turns to tyrants fall;
While thou shalt flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never shall be slaves.
Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful from each foreign stroke;
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never shall be slaves.
Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame,
All their attempts to bend thee down
Will but arouse thy generous flame;
But work their woe, and thy renown.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never shall be slaves.
To thee belongs the rural reign;
Thy cities shall with commerce shine;
All thine shall be the subject main,
And every shore it circles thine.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never shall be slaves.
The Muses, still with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair;
Blest Isle! With matchless beauty crowned,
And manly hearts to guide the fair.
Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rule the waves:
Britons never shall be slaves.
I do not know about that, but there are still a lot of old commies in Russia who pine for the good old days. Hence, my tag line!
I wonder when Russkie started buying techology - I thought they stoled it or their communist spy buddies in the DamRat party smuggled it to them
It's ALWAYS the US and Brits to the rescue .. and now the Japanese. All the "bad guys" freeing people all over the world.
Great news! Bump!
China, maybe. But Iran? What would they bring to the party? Some Molotov cocktails?
God bless the Brits and the U.S. We're always there for the rest of the world.
I repeat: God bless the Brits and the U.S.
He still doesn't get it.
Russia is Mexico with Nukes.
P.S. Thank God the Russian crew is ok. I thought they were goners for sure.
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