Divers are reported to have worked throughout Saturday night in compartments eight and nine of the submarine in an effort to find more of the victims. The poignant last note, written by Lieutenant Dmitry Kolesnikov, said 23 of the crew had initially survived the blasts and then taken shelter in the ninth compartment. The sailor's letter has prompted renewed grief and anger in Russia, as it contradicts official statements in the wake of the disaster that the Kursk's crew died almost instantly. Lieutenant Kolesnikov's widow appeared on Russian television, speaking of her grief and saying she believed her husband had a premonition of his death. Olga Kolesnikov said her husband had left behind his dog tag and a crucifix, and referred to a poem he had written to her before leaving to rejoin his crewmates aboard the Kursk in the summer.
Bad weather continues to hamper the complex and dangerous operation to recover bodies.
The latest forecast predicts high winds and stormy conditions for the next 36 hours. A senior Russian naval commander said he doubted that the bodies of all 23 mentioned in the crewman's letter could be recovered because the compartments were so badly damaged. Injuries to some of the bodies so far brought to the surface suggest a serious fire swept through the Kursk, and that crew members were pelted with flying debris during the blasts. It is still not clear what caused the explosions.