SEVEROMORSK, October 20 (AVN) - Russian and Norwegian deep-sea divers from the Regalia special ship of the US Halliburton firm started operating in the area of the Kursk submarine wreck on Friday, a source in the Russian Northern Fleet Staff told the Military News Agency.
The mission equipment was ordered by the Norwegian side in advance and was already mounted by the fleet specialists in the Kursk wreck site. Additional equipment envisaged by the contract will be transferred on board the Regalia later on Friday.
The weather in the area does not hamper the rendering of the loads as well as the preparation and mounting the equipment that will be used in the recovery operation. The wind velocity is 10-12 metres per second, sea swell three to four points. The fleet weather forecasters predict the increase of the wind velocity.
Today will see the check of the 12 Russian and six Norwegian divers preparation level. The Semen Dezhnev oceanographic vessel will check the radiation situation in the zone of the operation. The divers will submerge to the Kursk in threes that were already established and trained interplay, Rear Admiral Gennady Verich, head of the Navy search and emergency rescue department, said. The safety of the operation is secured by the Admiral Chebanenko and the Admiral Kharlamov large anti-submarine ships as well as by auxiliary vessels.