By early Tuesday, about a dozen military ships including a nuclear-powered cruiser were at the site of the accident, Russian reports said. A team of ship designers was rushed to the area to help suggest ways to rescue the crew. The condition of the crew was unknown and the navy did not release an official count. Russian news reports said it carried 117 to 130 servicemen. Navy officials declined to say how long the Kursk could remain submerged before it ran out of air for the crew.
Nuclear submarines depend on their reactors to replenish their air supplies.
The Kursk went down far above the Arctic Circle, but the sea was free of icebergs, said meteorological officials in nearby Norway. Navy officials declined to say how far down the vessel was trapped, but a Norwegian report said the Kursk was some 450 feet down, a depth at which rescue would be difficult because of the crushing water pressure. Various Russian reports said the submarine was approximately 330 to 510 feet down. He said national security adviser Sandy Berger reiterated this in a telephone conversation with Russian officials. Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the Oscar-class submarine was not carrying nuclear weapons.