Russian Mini-Submarine Crisis

Palomar · 2005-08-05 08:09:07

:shock: U.S. sending help.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050805/ap_ … ident]Only 1 day of air remaining...

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia - A Russian mini-submarine carrying seven sailors snagged on a fishing net and was stuck 625 feet down on the Pacific floor Friday with only enough air for crewmen to survive one day, and the United States was rushing an unmanned vehicle there to help in rescue efforts.
However, it was unclear whether there was enough oxygen aboard the mini-sub to keep the crew alive long enough for the remote-controlled U.S. vehicle to reach them from its base in San Diego.
The Russian sub's propeller became entangled in a fishing net Thursday

I sure hope they'll surive and this'll be a success story for everyone. Terrible predicament.

--Cindy

Josh Cryer · 2005-08-05 09:28:32

This reminds me of those W. VA coal miners. I think they might survive, assuming they're alive currently and the ship is intact. I think it's cool that the US is sending a rescue ship, but it won't even leave the airport until 10 hours after the accident occured. That gives them 14 hours. Who knows how long the flight will be, but I'm guessing they'll have at most 6 hours to get something done. It's going to be very close. Hopefully those guys are using slow rate breathing methods and are sleeping.

SpaceNut · 2005-08-05 09:52:57

But if they make it there, can do what is right to try and rescue this crew. It will go along way towards keeping the cold war at bay. Futher promoting democracy's growth.

Palomar · 2005-08-05 11:04:17

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050805/ap_ … _28]Update

*A Russian vessel of some sort has, with a hooked cable, towed the distressed sub into shallower waters.

Britian is assisting with rescue efforts as well. Another article I read said the Brit vessel might arrive sooner than ours. Whatever helps...! Best of luck, poor folks.

--Cindy

Grypd · 2005-08-05 11:19:32

Both the USA and Britain are sending a version of the Scorpio class of unmanned ROV. If they can get there in time it may be possible to cut the submarine free from the net it has collided with. Another option hopefully is to attach cable to the mooring points on the submarine and since it is relatively light it should be able to be lifted. Another option in this situation is to cut the net completely away and hopefully the submarine can surface on its own accord. The Scorpio is a relatively commen ROV and is used extensively by Oil companies and the Royal Navy in the North sea.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08353.htm]Scorpio class ROV's

The British one will be in the air in about 15 minutes and will have a crew of 29 to operate. It will take about 20 hours to get to the rescue site this includes the flight , road trip and the sea journey to the site and will hopefully give the ROV operators about 4 hours to get something done.

Good luck to them

Josh Cryer · 2005-08-05 12:31:08

20 hours and the Brits are ahead of the US? Damn, beginning to look quite grim. Even with relaxed breathing methods they are not going to be able to last that long I'm afraid.

Tell me that 20 hour figure is wrong.

Grypd · 2005-08-05 12:49:56

The flight will take ten hours from prestwick across the north pole and then to land at the nearest airport. The journey across very rough roads will take 4 hours and then the voyage on board will take 6 hours. The Scorpio will on its travels be preflighted and will be guickly in action when it arrives. And the Uk operators have trained to cut fishing nets as it is actually a very commen occurence in the North sea.

The Russians are unlikely to be able to raise the submarine on there own and as it has been netted the escape hatch will also likely be fouled. As the Russians drag the submarine into shallower and closer waters they will also bring it into waters which will be less dark and easier to operate in. Though a scorpio has 4 cameras and between 5 and 7 lights it is still very dark at the depth they are at. The shallower they get the better.

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2005-08-05 16:33:19

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050805/ap_ … _28]Update
*A Russian vessel of some sort has, with a hooked cable, towed the distressed sub into shallower waters.
Britian is assisting with rescue efforts as well. Another article I read said the Brit vessel might arrive sooner than ours. Whatever helps...! Best of luck, poor folks.
--Cindy

Back in those days of the 1960s people were making the guiness book of records with a dive with scuba gear perhaps going to 350-450 feet, so it may be possible for them to save themselves doing some scuba work. Oxygen turns toxic due to the pressure, motor or mental tasks begin to fail at such pressure and your body is under great stress mixing in helium helps with the maximum depth
However professional scuba divers are trained and highly skilled at dives, their depths may still be dangerous for SCUBA.

Grypd · 2005-08-05 17:47:14

The problem is not just how little oxygen they have but also the depth. If they try to escape after having spent time at this depth they will be very very cold and as they have rammed a fishing net in all likehood they will not be able to escape the net that has covered the submarine.

The escape oxygen at this depth is worse than useless. If they use it they will be at extreme risk of nitrogen narcosis (the Bends). This of course depends on being at a shallow enough depth that escape is possible.

At the moment these mens only hope is to be pulled to the surface by a ship or to be cut free and to get to the surface.

Grypd · 2005-08-06 09:32:28

The Russians where only able to drag the Submarine about 60 meters before they lost the capability.

A further note is the belief that the Submarine is actually fouled by a cable rather than the full fishing net. This is good news as a Scorpio ROV can cut 4-5cm of cable easily and if it is a cable fouled in the propellor and across the submarine it will be a lot guicker job to release the submarine. Also the Russians have provided full details on the Mooring points on the Submarine and this will aid the ROV to attach a cable so the surface ships are able to pull the submarine up if it is necassary.

Stormrage · 2005-08-06 16:09:00

The good thing is they ASKED for help. Unlike the Kursk where they let 118 good men die. Plus they shouldn't be so suprised. The Russian Navy has rusted beyond beleif. They don't get the proper funding to maintain there ships.

Palomar · 2005-08-06 19:49:07

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u … ent]Update

*British vessel is cutting the cable. U.S. crew en route; encountering lots of rain apparently.

The Russian navy made contact with the crew late Saturday, and Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Viktor Fyodorov said their condition was "satisfactory" despite temperatures of 41 to 45 degrees.

It was not clear if contact with the crew was made by radio or through some other means, but officials said it was taking place every few hours.

quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying there was enough to last until Monday.
"They have the air. But you can imagine their state of mind after two days," Pepelyayev said.

Nightmares for the remainder of one's life? My father had a recurrent nightmare, after serving in the Korean War, of drowning in a submarine...even though he'd never been inside of one. He said it was very realistic, including gasping for air in the mere inches between the slowly-rising water line and the ceiling of the enclosed room. ::shudders:: He'd wake up drenched in sweat and nearly hyperventilating.

Maybe I shouldn't have shared that, but it came to mind.

--Cindy

Josh Cryer · 2005-08-06 22:30:33

All 7 crew members are alive. This is great news.

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Re: Russian Mini-Submarine Crisis

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