Many of the crew perished before rescue, leading to 42 total dead (and 27 survivors). The wrecked submarine is on the floor of the Barents Sea, about 1.7 km (1 mile) deep, with her nuclear reactor …

Jul 7, 2025 · On April 7, 1989, during its first operational patrol, a catastrophic fire crippled the vessel, leading to its sinking and a tragic loss of life.

By 1989, during its third patrol in the Arctic Ocean, the K-278 was pushing the limits of Soviet naval prowess. Then, on April 7, 1989, while submerged at 1,099 feet underwater, about 112 miles...

Oct 6, 2024 · The tragic loss of the Soviet submarine K-278 Komsomolets on April 7, 1989, is remembered as one of the most significant maritime disasters during the Cold War.

On April 7, 1989, the Soviet Union's most advanced submarine—K-278 Komsomolets—caught fire and sank in the Norwegian Sea, claiming 42 lives. Built with a titanium hull that set depth records at...

Of the 42 crewmembers who died, only 4 were killed by the fire and smoke, while 34 died of hypothermia and drowning in the frigid waters while awaiting rescue that did not arrive in time.

Jul 14, 2025 · At 11:00 AM, a fire broke out in the seventh compartment—the rearmost part of the submarine. It was likely caused by a short circuit that ignited leaking hydraulic fluid. Within minutes, …