Fire on Russian submersible vessel kills at least 14 sailors

By Amie Ferris-Rotman, The Washington Post

Updated: July 2, 2019 Published: July 2, 2019

In this video grab provided by the RU-RTR Russian television via APTN , Russia rescue personnel return from a dive in a mini submarine to the Kursk on the sea bed in the Barents Sea, Russia. The Russian military says that a fire on one of its deep-sea submersibles has killed 14 sailors. The Defense Ministry says that the blaze erupted Monday while the vessel was performing tests in Russia's territorial waters. (RU-RTR Russian Television via AP)

MOSCOW - At least 14 Russian sailors died from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out on a submersible in the country’s northern waters, state-run media cited the Defense Ministry as saying Tuesday.

The fire took place Monday while crew on the craft, described as a deep underwater vessel, was conducting biometric measurements in Russian waters near the Severomorsk base in the Barents Sea. The sailors died from smoke inhalation, the reports said.

"The causes of the accident are yet to be identified. The navy's commander in chief is carrying out the investigation," Russian news agencies cited the ministry as saying in a statement.

A submersible differs from a submarine. A submersible is usually smaller and operates with some form of support. A submarine is completely autonomous.

The death toll is the largest for an underwater vessel in Russia since 2008, when 20 sailors died during a failed sea trial on a submarine.

Russia is still haunted by the sinking of the Kursk nuclear submarine at the start of President Vladimir Putin’s first year in power 2000, when 118 sailors died in the Barents Sea.