Bad weather hampers Russian submarine rescue

In this story: 'Big and serious collision' 'U.S. was monitoring exercises' Evacuating the submarine RELATED STORIES, SITES

MOSCOW (CNN) -- High waves and strong winds are hampering efforts to rescue the crew of a Russian nuclear submarine lying stricken at the bottom of the Barents Sea.

Authorities are using a large diving bell to try to get near the 14,000-ton submarine and evacuate the 116 sailors on board. But the bad weather is making the manoeuvres difficult.

VIDEO CNN's Steve Harrigan reports on the attempt to save the lives of the Russian nuclear submarine crew trapped at the bottom of the Barents Sea Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Steve Harrigan describes the accident and possible rescue scenarios Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Steve Harrigan describes the rescue effort and provides details about the sub Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     AUDIO Paul Beaver of Jane's Defence Weekly assesses the situation 2.6MB/63 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     MESSAGE BOARD Submarine rescue     RESOURCES Comparative Size of Stranded Sub. Submarine Position Underwater Details of the Kursk CNN Cold War Special : The frightening world of nuclear accidents     ALSO Pentagon says no U.S. ship involved in Russian sub accident Limited options for rescuers Norway calls crisis talks on Russian submarine A history of accidents

Before the operation began, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, the head of the Russian Navy, said the prospect of rescuing the crew was "not very high."

The diving bell can be used to deliver oxygen or fuel to the disabled submarine, or to evacuate crew members. But the bell has been under water for hours and has not brought up any sailors.

The crews working on the rescue effort have been in contact with the sailors on the Kursk, officials said. More than 10 ships, three submarines and several helicopters are taking part in the rescue effort.

Pentagon sources told CNN that a U.S. Navy submarine monitoring Russian naval exercises reported hearing an explosion on Saturday that may have been the crash of a Russian nuclear submarine.

'Big and serious collision'

Earlier, Kuroyedov said the Kursk had been damaged in a "big and serious collision." He did not elaborate on what the submarine collided with.

But Russia's Itar-Tass news agency has reported that preliminary surveys have ruled out a collision as a cause of the disaster. It said its source was an official at a defence firm taking part in efforts to rescue the stricken submarine.

"He (the source) did not exclude the possibility that the damage to the nose section of the sub was caused by an explosion in that section," Tass said, adding that its source had not said what could have caused such a blast.

The submarine, with two nuclear reactors, the Ministry said, lay at a depth of 107 meters (350 feet) beneath the surface.

Russia's AVN military news agency said it was told by the Northern Fleet that the submarine was listing some 60 degrees to the port side and was 85 miles from the naval base of Severomorsk.

Earlier on Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defence had downplayed the seriousness of the incident saying the crew was in no immediate danger.

The defence ministry at first reported that the Kursk went aground after torpedo tubes flooded during a training exercise.

'U.S. was monitoring exercises'

A U.S. surveillance ship was conducting electronic and acoustic monitoring of the exercises from about 200 miles away and at least one U.S. submarine was also operating in the general vicinity of the largest Russian naval exercises of the year, according to officials.

Regarding reports from Russia that the submarine may have collided with a "foreign vessel", Navy and other Pentagon officials told CNN that there was "no indication at this point that a U.S. vessel was involved in this accident."

Officials cautioned, however, that they could not account for submarines or other ships belonging to European nations that may have been operating in the area.

U.S. National Security Advisor Sandy Berger offered U.S. assistance to the Russian government on Monday in rescuing the sailors.

White House Spokesman Joe Lockhart told reporters the offer was made in a previously scheduled phone call between Berger and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Ivanov.

"At this point there's been no requests for our assistance," Lockhart said. "We are following this closely, and if the Russians are in a position where they believe we can offer some assistance, we will do that."

The Russian flag is raised on the Kursk in May

U.S. officials call the Russian exercise a "major fleet exercise for the Russian Navy" involving "several dozen" Russian ships "involving all elements of the Russian Navy" as well as Russian Air Force planes and the rarely deployed Russian aircraft carrier Kuznetsov.

There are no nuclear weapons on the submarine, the Russian ministry said, and radiation levels from the submarine's two nuclear reactors, which were shut down, were said to be at normal levels.

The submarine was in radio contact with the surface vessels. When operating normally, the submarine can remain submerged for up to four months.

Norwegian defence officials said they were aware of the crisis, had a ship nearby, and had offered assistance to the Russian Navy. The Norwegian Navy routinely monitors the movement of Russian vessels in the Barents Sea.

The Kursk is one of the largest submarines in the world. It is 154 meters (about 505 feet) long and weighs more than 14,000 tons. It was built in 1994, and can carry 24 nuclear missiles.

Evacuating the submarine

Standard rescue procedures call for the crew to be rescued using a "bell" or "capsule" which is lowered onto the hatch of the submarine.

Russian submarine crew members are trained to swim out of the torpedo tubes, but experts said if the sailors tried to swim to the surface they would run the risk of being killed by the extreme depth and the freezing Arctic temperatures.

The Kursk in May at its home base in Zapadnaya Litsa, Kola Peninsula, near Murmansk

Paul Beaver, a spokesman for Jane's military information group, told CNN: "At 300 to 500 feet, you can actually swim to the surface. It is very dangerous to do so, but it has been done by the British Royal Navy."

"It's not what you want to do, because it effects your lungs, your hearing, your eyes and whatever. It is possible to do a free escape as long as they've got the escape equipment.

"The other thing you can do is put another submarine across, a special rescue vessel -- it's called a DSRV, a deep submersible rescue vessel -- and pull off people perhaps say 24 at a time. That's possible. The Americans have that capability."

In 1989, the Russian Navy suffered another nuclear submarine disaster in the Barents Sea when the crew of the Komsomolets abandoned that vessel after a series of electrical fires broke out. A total 42 Russian sailors died in that incident.

CNN Correspondent Steve Harrigan and CNN Military Affairs Producer Chris Plante contributed to this report

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