Russia: August 16, 2000

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US sensors detect no more signs of life on the stricken Russian submarine Kursk. Britain is flying it's mini-sub to Norway, where it will be loaded on a ship and taken to the area where the Russian sub Kursk is lying on the bottom. This came about after Russia finally asked Britain and Norway for assistance in the rescue operation. Norway is making available special deep sea divers. Russia has three diving bells on the scene, but because of the underwater currents and the fact that the Kursk is tilted to one side, the diving bells have not been able to mate up with the subs escape hatch. Through the 1990s,  USN did offered cooperation with sub owning navies in the event of a sub going down. Making arrangements ahead of time was essential to make this work. The Russians turned it down. It's uncertain if this was because of  the politicians or some retrograde admirals. "The law of the sea" (always go to the rescue of a fellow mariner in peril) is basically practical. It usually takes non-seagoing "leaders" to contravene  it.

 

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