Soviet submarine K-8
Project 627A
- 8 × torpedo tubes ∅ 533 mm
The K-8 was a nuclear -powered submarine of the Soviet Navy from the time of the Cold War. It was the second nuclear submarine, the construction of which the Soviet Union had given under the name Project 627A in order. Its downfall in 1970 was the first loss of Soviet nuclear Navy.
- 3.1 Single Documents
- 3.2 Literature
- 3.3 External links
History
The K-8 was laid on September 9, 1957 in Severodvinsk on keel and ran on 31 May 1959 by the stack. On 4 December 1959, was placed at the service of the Northern Fleet.
Reactor accident in 1960
In the second half of 1960 an application for K- 8 was planned, which should lead the boat to the North Pole. It additional sonar and recording equipment were taken on board. Before the boat reached its destination, it came on the evening of 13 October 1960 in the Barents Sea to a serious reactor accident.
One of the steam generators, which converted the evaporated water from the reactor in energy, got a leak. The World Cup -A reactors were able to transfer any more driving power and the diesel engines of the boat had to take on this task. An additional leak in the primary coolant circuit of the port reactor, the reactor temperature was briefly rise dramatically. A shutdown was not possible due to an error in the assembly of the control system for the control rods in the yard, so that only an emergency repair of the cooling system prevented the meltdown. Radioactive steam was, however, left the defective generator and 13 people were exposed to harmful levels of radiation, three were severely damaged. Many other team members were exposed to doses of 1,8 to 2 Sv ( 180-200 rem ). The boat returned in October 1960 for the shipyard in Severodvinsk back to be decontaminated.
After it had completed a total of eleven patrol car, the boat was launched in 1963 in the shipyard to perform maintenance work that had been completed by 31 December 1963.
After several successful missions K -8 was used towards the end of 1969 near Bear Island to explore with other boats, new methods of noise reduction by rubber coatings on the outer shell of submarines.
Mediterranean and alleged nuclear torpedoes in the Gulf of Naples
In the spring of 1970, K-8 was ordered to the Mediterranean. It should monitor activities of the American aircraft carrier USS Midway and USS Saratoga there. The boat headed south and crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 140 meters depth. This led to a slight flooding, so that the commander did emerge after crossing the strait at a safe distance in order to seal the leak. According to reports, not only by crossed K-8 the strait, but at the same time and below a Soviet destroyer Kildin class ( project 56- M), the Neulowimy. It came temporarily to problems with the electrical system of the boat. The cause for the occurring voltage fluctuations in the power grid was not clear. The problem, however, disappeared by itself
In March 1970, the boat met the destroyer Boykiy the Krupny class (Project 57b ) in front of Capri, to accept supplies. On April 1, 1970 K-8 was ordered to return and again crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. This time below the Boykiy.
In through the controversial intelligence expert Mario Scaramella spread news was alleged K-8 would have on January 10, 1970 laid a series of nuclear tipped torpedo and sea mines in order to use them in an emergency against the U.S. 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. After Scaramella report Russia have confirmed this in 2004. However, evidence for these claims could not submit Scaramella.
Downfall in 1970
On April 8, 1970, the 51st day of this mission, the boat was still on the return trip in the Bay of Biscay. It was in 120 meters depth and was 10 knots on the way, as it probably almost simultaneously came to the sonar station in Division 3 and a control state in Division 7 by short circuits in electric fire. The commander let K-8 immediately appear. In Section 3, the crew was able to extinguish the fire quickly, had the department but because of the toxic fumes released during the fire exit. In Section 7, the fire fed, now also from the lubricating oils used there, so it was not to erase and also had to evacuate the Department of the sailors. After switching off the two nuclear reactors, it took another 40 minutes before the fire smothered in Division 7 by oxygen deprivation as a result of foreclosure.
The diesel generators, which had taken over the power generation for the ship's systems after reactor shutdown, the continuous stress could not cope and had to be shut down due to overheating also. The sailors in Division 8 were cut off from the rest of the boat and at first could not be freed because the access hatches do not open due to excess pressure. In examining the damage to the ship it came upon entering Division 3 of the fire to flare up again at the sonar station. The fire was extinguished, 15 sailors were finally freed from Division 8, eight other sailors were there already died of smoke inhalation and also the rescued died as a result of poisoning within the next two hours. K-8 powered helpless without power and communication in the Bay of Biscay.
According to the crew should have a Canadian freighter drive around the boat in a semicircle, and then continue on its course and move away at full speed, without offering help. The next day, a Bulgarian cargo ship in sight. He finally sent the call for help from K-8 on his radio station to Soviet authorities and took over part of the crew of the submarine, which were not required for vessel protection. Several auxiliary ships were dispatched, including K -83, a project -629 - boat.
Without a power supply, it was not possible, the compressed air supplies to K -8 refill, so that the trim tanks could not be controlled. The stern of the boat was always lower in the water and in the rear part of the ship - which is probably a leak at one of the locks of a stern torpedo tube - penetrated water. Around 22:30 clock of April 11, the situation became critical and more sailors were brought to a rescue ship. All attempts to take the boat in tow, were thwarted by the heavy seas. 22 remaining crew members tried under the guidance of the captain to rescue the boat. A little later, a single red flare was seen, then K-8 disappeared into the darkness of the radar screens of the rescue ship. Two severe shocks took place on the submarine, possibly consequences of Dekompressionsexplosionen.
A few hours later after sunrise was sought from the supposed demise spot and buried the corpse of an officer from the sea. The corpse of the commander was also spotted, but she sank before she could get on board. 30 sailors of the K-8 were, died as a result of the fires, mostly by Kohlenstoffmonoxidintoxikation; the 22 -strong vessel protection group to the commander died in the sinking of the boat.
The commander, Captain 2nd rank Bessonov was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, the crew members killed and the survivors were also awarded medals. The wreck of K-8 is located in approximately 4,500 meters depth.