Russian navy changes underwater rescue method.

The Russian navy is radically changing the system to rescue submarines in distress. All available means will be engaged in the operation, the Navy told the Izvestia daily.

Vladikavkaz submarine made part of the Northern Fleet (Picture source: Russian MoD)

The Navy studied the experience of the latest accidents and will engage antisubmarine warships, minesweepers and counter-subversion boats from the next year to search for wrecked submarines. Surface forces will begin to train rescue operations in 2020. Experts believe the new method will accelerate the rescue operation and save lives. The Northern fleet has already trained new elements in rescuing a submarine crew. It was decided to use the method in all the fleets.

The Northern fleet for the first time engaged all available means to find a submarine in distress. In particular, airplanes and helicopters had to find submariners on the water surface, as some of the crew escaped by themselves. Dummies were used as submariners. The airplanes had to drop a life raft and report coordinates to helicopters.

Real submariners participated in the key stage of the exercise to search for a wrecked submarine and evacuate the crew. All warships and vessels, including antisubmarine ships, minesweepers, counter-subversion and oceanographic boats searched for the Vladikavkaz diesel-electric submarine. A rescue vessel arrived to the reported coordinates. It rescued submarines by AS-34 craft.

Diamant unmanned underwater craft was for the first engaged in the operation to rescue crashed Ka-29 helicopter last year. It is a part of the antimine equipment of the Alexander Obukhov minesweeper. The warship scanned the seabed with acoustic sensors, detected the debris six kilometers away from the coast at a depth of 40 meters and identified the craft with the use of drones.

Last October, Pacific fleet divers submerged to 416 meters in a wet bell. On the seabed they trained to connect air supply ducts to the submarine, the Izvestia said.