Russian media outlets are reporting that 14 navy servicemen have died on a scientific mission when their deep submersible caught fire. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the cause of the incident is unknown.
The defense ministry statement said the deep-water submersible belonged to the Russian navy and was conducting a bathymetric measurement operation in Russian territorial waters when a fire broke out. The crew managed to extinguish the fire, but 14 seamen suffocated from the smoke.
The submersible has since returned to the main base of Russia’s Northern Fleet.
The Associated Press reported that the fire is the deadliest Russian naval incident since 2008, when 20 died on the Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine of Russia’s Pacific Fleet when the vessel was undergoing trials.
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