Aug 19 - The Russian navy said Saturday there is almost no hope of rescuing any survivors from a crippled nuclear submarine that has been on the bottom of the Barents Sea for a week. Vice Adm. Mikhail Motsak said rescue efforts would not end but there was almost no chance that anyone could still be alive on the Kursk. He called it the greatest catastrophe in the history of the Russian Navy. Motsak said it appeared most of the crew were killed in the first minutes when the submarine slammed into the bottom of the sea and any survivors drowned.
Officials say a massive explosion shattered the submarine.
A British rescue team with an advanced mini-submarine was still heading for the rescue scene and was expected to arrive Saturday night. The Russian Navy did not indicate whether the British would still launch a rescue bid. Motsak said rescue efforts would continue at least through Sunday. A government commission investigating the disaster said Saturday that the Kursk suffered a massive explosion, which ripped through the confined space of the submarine. The explosion apparently was in the forward torpedo compartment, which was loaded with up to 30 warheads.