Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia — Russian prosecutors said Tuesday they have opened a criminal investigation into how seven men were trapped in a mini-submarine in the Pacific last week after initial findings pointed to negligence on the part of officials overseeing the mission.
Amid a flurry of questions about the preparedness of the navy to handle such crises, the Pacific Fleet commander said millions will be spent to buy two rescue vehicles similar to the British vessel that cut the 44-foot sub free.
New details also emerged about the mission the AS-28 submarine was on when it became stuck some 620 feet underwater.
Capt. Valery Lepetyukha, one of the six navy sailors on board, revealed that the vessel had been sent to investigate an underwater surveillance antenna that had been entangled in fishing nets. The seventh man was an employee with the company that manufactured the AS-28.
Roman Kolbanov, deputy military prosecutor for the Pacific Fleet, said investigators already have determined that officials responsible for preparing and overseeing the sub's mission committed unspecified violations.
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