Russia to remember victims of the Kursk submarine accident
MOSCOW. August 12. KAZINFORM Russians will remember the sailors who died ten years ago over the accident at the Kursk submarine. The tragedy took 118 lives; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
Mourning ceremonies will be organised at all fleets of Russia's Navy. Flags will be at half-mast, there will be a minute of silence to remember the crew of the nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Kursk.
The North Fleet will organise a ceremony of "laying wreaths on the water in the Barents Sea, and the Fleet commanders and relatives of the victims are expected to take part," the fleet's press service said.
In Moscow, a ceremony will be organised at the Central Army Museum.
On August 12, 2000 at 11:28 local time (07:28 UTC), there was an explosion while preparing to fire the torpedoes. The report to date is that this was due to the failure and explosion of one of the Kursk's hydrogen peroxide-fuelled torpedoes. The investigation commission stated the exact time of the tragedy. The sailors died within the period between several seconds to 6-8 hours following the explosion, and by the time the submarine was spotted on August 13, it was impossible to rescue the 23 sailors who remained onboard; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.