VLADIVOSTOK, August 7 (RIA Novosti, Anatoli Ilyukhov) - The condition of the seven crewmembers of the Russian mini-submarine rescued this morning off the Kamchatka coast is not life-threatening, but all of them will have to undergo thorough medical examination, the Commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Admiral Viktor Fyodorov, told a press conference Sunday. With their craft pinned to the seabed, the submariners had had to spend three days underwater, facing low temperatures and a dwindling oxygen supply.
Fyodorov said the submarine had been trapped in vast fishing nets cast by poachers and praised the crew for not panicking in the face of the emergency, describing their response as both competent and courageous.
The admiral expressed his thanks to the British and U.S. forces who had proved instrumental in bringing the Russian submersible to the surface. He also thanked the Japanese sailors for their contribution to the international rescue effort.
