K-159

Part of: Northern Fleet accidents and incidents

The 40-year-old K-159 sank in 238 metres of water during the early morning hours of August 30th 2003 while it was being towed from the Gremikha naval base in the Murmansk region to a Kola Peninsula shipyard for dismantlement. The sinking killed nine of 10 crew members aboard the towed vessel, and brought 800 kilograms of spent nuclear fuel—with a radioactivity level of 750 curies per kilogram—to the bottom of the Barents Sea. No efforts have been made to lift or secure the submarine so far.

ARTICLES
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[ 12.01.2009 ]
Russia spurs ahead environmental overhaul of decrepit Northern Fleet bases
MURMANSK - Preparations are now in full swing at the former naval base Gremikha in Russia’s Murmansk Region to start evacuating first containers with spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from first-generation submarines to a reprocessing destination at the Ural-based chemical combine Mayak – a major indication that Russia is finally owning up to the pressing problem of environmental rehabilitation of the areas it has used for decades to store nuclear waste from its naval fleet.
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www.gremicha.narod.ru

[ 01.09.2008 ]
Five years of promises to raise the K-159 remain broken
ST. PETERSBURG – From the moment of the tragic sinking of the decommissioned K-159 submarine in August 2003 while it was being towed through heavy weather to dismantlement, killing nine, the Russian military has been promising to raise it.
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Dockwise

[ 16.08.2006 ]
Dutch company Dockwise to ship three discarded Russian submarines to dimsantlement
The Dutch company Dockwise Tuesday dispatched one of its semi-submersible vessels, Transshelf, from Rotterdam to the Kola Peninsula to assist the Russian Navy dispach three discarded nuclear powered submarines to dismantlement sites.
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NEWS
[ 27.09.2007 ]
Sunken nuclear submarine K-159 can be lifted

The St. Petersburg engineering company “Malakhit” has been requested to prepare a plan for the salvage operation to lift the sunken K-159 nuclear-powered submarine.

[ 21.12.2004 ]
Dutch Mammoet might salvage another Russian nuclear submarine

The Dutch Company Mammoet will likely participate in raising the K-159 submarine from the bottom of the Barents Sea.

[ 29.04.2004 ]
Northern fleet commander faces 4 years for sinking of K-159

According to Moscow Times daily, military prosecutors have asked a court to sentence the suspended commander of the Northern Fleet to four years in prison for negligence leading to the sinking of a decommissioned submarine that killed nine sailors in August.

All news for K-159 >>

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