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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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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Bellona archive/KSF

[ 01.09.2005 ]
Two years after the K-159 tragedy: the submarine remains at the bottom
Despite promises of Russian Navy brass to lift the K-159 submarine, which sank on August 30th 2003 killing nine of its 10 crew members while being towed for dismantlement, the derelict vessel still remains at the bottom of the Barents sea with 800 kilograms of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel in its reactors.
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ksf.ru/Bellona

[ 18.10.2003 ]
K-159 doomed by expectations of Western funding
The K-159, a Russian first generation November class submarine, was doomed when it set sail, towed by a tugboat from the Northern Fleet's semi-abandoned Gremikha Base, on August 29th, according to the officer responsible for the failed operation.
All articles for K-159 >>
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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