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| Russia: Fire kills 14 sailors aboard navy research submersible | Russia: Fire kills 14 sailors aboard navy research submersible |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A fire aboard a Russian navy research submersible has killed 14 crew members, the Russian defence ministry says. | A fire aboard a Russian navy research submersible has killed 14 crew members, the Russian defence ministry says. |
| It says the crew members were poisoned by fumes when the vessel caught fire while taking measurements in Russian territorial waters on Monday. | |
| The fire was later put out and the vessel is now at Severomorsk, the main base of the Russian Northern Fleet in the Murmansk region. | The fire was later put out and the vessel is now at Severomorsk, the main base of the Russian Northern Fleet in the Murmansk region. |
| The ministry did not say how many crew members were aboard at the time. | The ministry did not say how many crew members were aboard at the time. |
| It also did not specify the type of the submersible. | |
| An investigation into the incident has begun under the commander-in-chief of the navy. | An investigation into the incident has begun under the commander-in-chief of the navy. |
| So, what caused this disaster? | |
| The Russian defence ministry has provided few details. | |
| "A fire broke out," it says, "fourteen submariners died of smoke inhalation. The cause of the incident is being established." | |
| Russian news agency RBK cites a military source as saying the vessel was an AS-12 nuclear-powered sub. There has been no official confirmation of this. | |
| The AS-12 is a mini-submarine used for deep water research, intelligence gathering and special operations. | |
| Russia is not the only country to have suffered accidents on submersibles and submarines. | |
| But, in Russia's case, incidents have often ended in tragedy. | |
| In 2000, 118 submariners died after two explosions on board the nuclear-powered Kursk. | |
| Eight years later, 20 men on the Nerpa nuclear sub died of asphyxiation. | |
| Submersibles are generally smaller vessels with limited crew on board supported by ships on the surface, while submarines are larger vessels capable of operating autonomously over long distances. | Submersibles are generally smaller vessels with limited crew on board supported by ships on the surface, while submarines are larger vessels capable of operating autonomously over long distances. |
| The Kursk submarine, which was destroyed by the blasts in the Barents Sea, was also part of the Northern Fleet. | |
| Underwater tragedies | Underwater tragedies |
| Accidents involving underwater vessels are rare. Here are some of the most serious: | Accidents involving underwater vessels are rare. Here are some of the most serious: |