Pacific Fleet rescuers conduct exercise

29.03.2011 Exercise of search-and-rescue unit started in the Sea of Japan. Divers of Russia's Pacific Fleet (PF) practice remote control over Panther and Tiger submersibles.

Number of such deep-sea armors does not exceed 40 all across the world. Their endurance is up to 2 days, depth limit is 375 meters. PF diver Roman Verbitsky conducts submersion drill. His personal record is 80 meters. To reach the maximum depth, one needs a 5-year long training.

"The armor is equipped with screws. It can move in horizontal and vertical planes. Air is not supplied – that's a closed circuit", explains Sergei Belonenko, deputy commander for salvage operations of rescue ship Sayany.

The pilot says at large depth one feels like an astronaut. Bulky armor is almost gravity-free here and obediently moves by pedal applications. A pilot can walk on the seabed and even curtsy to perform fastening operations on a sunken ship.

Unmanned submersibles are also tested. Their max depth is about 1 km. Remotely-controlled submersibles Panther and Tiger are highly mobile systems; if needed, they can be delivered by airplane to any accident site worldwide along with the operator's cabin. These submersibles are well-controlled so that their manipulators can even catch a running crab.

"In summer 2010 we took part in salvage operations over the aircraft crashed in the Tatar Strait. Panther was used there too", says Viktor Gonets, chief operator of Panther submersible system, PF Search & Rescue Unit.

Sea-going vessels of the unit also inspire respect; one of them – Fotiy Krylov – even won the Guinness record as the world's most powerful salvage tug. Along with PF anti-piracy task force she will be dispatched to the Gulf of Aden this summer.