He was stung by criticism of his handling of the developing disaster - his decision to remain on holiday instead of taking charge of the rescue operation and his failure to visit the families until 10 days after the accident. Due to the nature of the damage to the Kursk, which sank after an explosion ripped through its shell, Russian experts have admitted there is little hope that all 118 bodies can be recovered. A few of the dead men's families, aghast at the costs and dangers, have called on the government to abandon the project and proclaim the Kursk a sea grave. The cause of the accident remains unknown. The Russian authorities suggest the Kursk sank after colliding with another vessel, probably foreign.
Many Western analysts believe it exploded when a torpedo on board misfired.