PF Procuracy Appealed Against Nerpa Case Acquittal

18.10.2011 Pacific Fleet (PF) Military Procuracy on Oct 17 appealed against the verdict of PF Court Martial; the court found two crewmembers of SSN Nerpa not guilty of the accident claimed lives of 20 submariners, reported RIA Novosti referring to PF Assistant Judge Advocate Roman Kolbanov.

As was earlier reported, onboard firefighting system spontaneously operated in SSN Nerpa on Nov 8, 2008 during trials in the Sea of Japan, and mixture of freon and carbon dichloride entered compartments. In total, there were 208 persons on board the sub. Twenty of them died as a result of the tragedy, other 21 were intoxicated.

Investigators charged commanding officer Capt 1 rank Dmitry Lavrentiev and engineer Petty Officer Dmitry Grobov. In accordance with jury's acquittal, PF Court Martial on Oct 14 found both servicemen not guilty of the tragedy happened to the submarine.

"On October 17 the fleet's procuracy filed an appeal to PF Court Martial in accordance with established order", said the interviewee.

According to him, the procuracy intends to strive for cassation of the acquittal.

"The appeal was registered in the court, and will be directed to military panel of Russian Supreme Court along with the criminal case for appellate review", pointed out Kolbanov.

Reportedly, relatives of people died in the Nerpa accident disagreed with the court's acquitting decision.

The relatives not satisfied with the verdict are going to appeal to the Supreme Court, reported RIA Novosti referring to Margarita Surenkova, mother of engineer Dmitry Surenkov died in the accident.

In the interview to RIA Novosti, the submarine commanding officer Capt 1 rank Dmitry Lavrentiev said he had found the verdict unprejudiced and fair.