SEVEROMORSK. May 13 (Interfax-AVN) - Salvage ships that are to participate in the operation of retrieving fragments of the Kursk submarine's first section are not to take to sea for several days, a spokesman for the Northern Fleet headquarters told Interfax- Military News Agency on Wednesday.
The spokesman said that the meteorological office for the Murmansk region had predicted adverse weather conditions for the next two days.
A north wind will be blowing in the second half of Wednesday and on Thursday, its speed mounting up to 15mps; the surge of the sea will vary from three to four points.
The spokesman added that the salvage ships in question had small displacement, so the surge of the sea is not to be greater than two points for safe operation of the experts.
He said the terms of the operation had been set in accordance with weather fluctuations, so time is not pressing. This means that the job will be done efficiently and on time.
The vessels were originally supposed to take to sea on Wednesday and start retrieving the submarine's fragments on May 20.
The Mikhail Rudnitsky rescue vessel is appointed flagship of the expedition. It will carry acting chief-of-staff of the Northern Fleet Vice Admiral Sergei Simonenko, the salvage detachment's commander, as well as experts of the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office.
In addition to the Mikhail Rudnitsky, the detachment includes the Altai rescue tug and the Kil-164 hulk vessel intended for installation of heavy fairway equipment.
According to Interfax's information, specialists plan to raise several fragments of the Kursk's bow from the sea floor. Experts expect that the fragments will confirm a fire in that compartment and help determine the intensity of any thermal or other impacts on the submarine.
After the operation all metal constructions remaining on the sea bottom will be destroyed by blast.
The Kursk sank on August 12, 2000, killing the 118 people aboard. Circumstances of the disaster are still unclear.