Foreign Sub Collision Most Likely Cause of Kursk Disaster: Admiral
September 21, 2000 - 0:0
MOSCOW A collision with a foreign submarine most likely caused the Kursk Nuclear Submarine to sink, the commander of Russia's Northern Fleet was quoted by AFP as saying in a newspaper interview Wednesday.
"I believe that a collision with a foreign submarine is the most logical of all the versions" for the disaster, Admiral Vyacheslav Popov told the official Russskaya Gazeta daily.
"The collision could have deformed the advance unit of the torpedo system and precipitated a torpedo explosion or another accident in the bow section," he said.
That could have caused the submarine "to crash to the seabed, after which the second, main explosion of a weapons system occurred," said Popov.
The design of the Kursk, the most modern submarine in the Russian fleet, made it vulnerable to collisions as its main weapons systems were located outside the pressurized bulkhead, Popov said.
The Kursk was lost with all 118 crew on board in the August 12 catastrophe.
President Vladimir Putin subsequently came under sharp public criticism for failing to promptly take charge of the ill-fated rescue effort for the vessel.
A government commission into the disaster is currently evaluating three main theories: That the Kursk struck a World War II era mine, suffered a torpedo misfire or struck a foreign submarine, probably belonging to a NATO member.
A Russian lawmaker involved in a separate parliamentary probe last week said the Russian nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great" had probably sunk the Kursk with a torpedo in a friendly fire incident during August war games.
That theory first emerged in the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung, which quoted an internal report by the Russian domestic intelligence agency, FSB.
Russian officials have hotly denied the claim saying live ammunition was not used in naval exercises.
Britain and the United States have firmly denied their vessels, monitoring the August exercises in the Barents Sea during which the Kursk sank, were involved in any collision with Russian warships.
"There is also the question why three foreign submarines two American and one British were in the area of our naval exercises at the time," Popov told the paper.
A refusal by U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen to allow Russian officials to inspect the U.S. submarines Toledo and Memphis, has only fuelled Moscow's suspicions. The British submarine Splendid was also in the zone.
13-33-40.J30 eaa0440 3 i 0420 rus /afp-gq70 russia-sub foreign sub collision most likely cause of kursk disaster: admiral moscow, sept 20 (afp) - a collision with a foreign submarine mostly likely caused the kursk nuclear submarine to sink, the commander of russia's northern fleet said in a newspaper interview wednesday.
"I believe that a collision with a foreign submarine is the most logical of all the versions" for the disaster, admiral vyacheslav popov told the official rossyskaya gazeta daily. "the collision could have deformed the advance unit of the torpedo system and precipitated a torpedo explosion or another accident in the bow section," he said. that could have caused the submarine "to crash to the seabed, after which the second, main explosion of a weapons system occurred," said popov.
the design of the kursk, the most modern submarine in the russian fleet, made it vulnerable to collisions as its main weapons systems were located outside the pressurised bulkhead, popov said. the kursk was lost with all 118 crew on board in the august 12 catastrophe.
president vladimir putin subsequently came under sharp public criticism for failing to promptly take charge of the ill-fated rescue effort for the vessel. a government commission into the disaster is currently evaluating three main theories: that the kursk struck a world war ii era mine, suffered a torpedo misfire or struck a foreign submarine, probably belonging to a nato member.
a russian lawmaker involved in a separate parliamentary probe last week said the russian nuclear cruiser "peter the great" had probably sunk the kursk with a torpedo in a friendly fire incident during august wargames. that theory first emerged in the german newspaper berliner zeitung ,which quoted an internal report by the russian domestic intelligence agency, fsb. russian officials have hotly denied the claim saying live ammunition was not used in naval exercises. britain and the united states have firmly denied their vessels, monitoring the august exercises in the barents sea during which the kursk sank, were involved in any collision with russian warships.
"there is also the question why three foreign submarines -- two american and one british -- were in the area of our naval exercises at the time," popov told the paper. a refusal by us defence secretary william cohen to allow russian officials to inspect the us submarines toledo and memphis, has only fuelled moscow's suspicions. the british submarine splendid was also in the zone.
"I believe that a collision with a foreign submarine is the most logical of all the versions" for the disaster, Admiral Vyacheslav Popov told the official Russskaya Gazeta daily.
"The collision could have deformed the advance unit of the torpedo system and precipitated a torpedo explosion or another accident in the bow section," he said.
That could have caused the submarine "to crash to the seabed, after which the second, main explosion of a weapons system occurred," said Popov.
The design of the Kursk, the most modern submarine in the Russian fleet, made it vulnerable to collisions as its main weapons systems were located outside the pressurized bulkhead, Popov said.
The Kursk was lost with all 118 crew on board in the August 12 catastrophe.
President Vladimir Putin subsequently came under sharp public criticism for failing to promptly take charge of the ill-fated rescue effort for the vessel.
A government commission into the disaster is currently evaluating three main theories: That the Kursk struck a World War II era mine, suffered a torpedo misfire or struck a foreign submarine, probably belonging to a NATO member.
A Russian lawmaker involved in a separate parliamentary probe last week said the Russian nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great" had probably sunk the Kursk with a torpedo in a friendly fire incident during August war games.
That theory first emerged in the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung, which quoted an internal report by the Russian domestic intelligence agency, FSB.
Russian officials have hotly denied the claim saying live ammunition was not used in naval exercises.
Britain and the United States have firmly denied their vessels, monitoring the August exercises in the Barents Sea during which the Kursk sank, were involved in any collision with Russian warships.
"There is also the question why three foreign submarines two American and one British were in the area of our naval exercises at the time," Popov told the paper.
A refusal by U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen to allow Russian officials to inspect the U.S. submarines Toledo and Memphis, has only fuelled Moscow's suspicions. The British submarine Splendid was also in the zone.
13-33-40.J30 eaa0440 3 i 0420 rus /afp-gq70 russia-sub foreign sub collision most likely cause of kursk disaster: admiral moscow, sept 20 (afp) - a collision with a foreign submarine mostly likely caused the kursk nuclear submarine to sink, the commander of russia's northern fleet said in a newspaper interview wednesday.
"I believe that a collision with a foreign submarine is the most logical of all the versions" for the disaster, admiral vyacheslav popov told the official rossyskaya gazeta daily. "the collision could have deformed the advance unit of the torpedo system and precipitated a torpedo explosion or another accident in the bow section," he said. that could have caused the submarine "to crash to the seabed, after which the second, main explosion of a weapons system occurred," said popov.
the design of the kursk, the most modern submarine in the russian fleet, made it vulnerable to collisions as its main weapons systems were located outside the pressurised bulkhead, popov said. the kursk was lost with all 118 crew on board in the august 12 catastrophe.
president vladimir putin subsequently came under sharp public criticism for failing to promptly take charge of the ill-fated rescue effort for the vessel. a government commission into the disaster is currently evaluating three main theories: that the kursk struck a world war ii era mine, suffered a torpedo misfire or struck a foreign submarine, probably belonging to a nato member.
a russian lawmaker involved in a separate parliamentary probe last week said the russian nuclear cruiser "peter the great" had probably sunk the kursk with a torpedo in a friendly fire incident during august wargames. that theory first emerged in the german newspaper berliner zeitung ,which quoted an internal report by the russian domestic intelligence agency, fsb. russian officials have hotly denied the claim saying live ammunition was not used in naval exercises. britain and the united states have firmly denied their vessels, monitoring the august exercises in the barents sea during which the kursk sank, were involved in any collision with russian warships.
"there is also the question why three foreign submarines -- two american and one british -- were in the area of our naval exercises at the time," popov told the paper. a refusal by us defence secretary william cohen to allow russian officials to inspect the us submarines toledo and memphis, has only fuelled moscow's suspicions. the british submarine splendid was also in the zone.