Lost Submarine Returns from Oblivion

04.05.2012 Search expedition named "Bow to Victorious Ships" launched on May 4 in Kronshtadt. The purpose is to memorialize Baltic Fleet's submarine P-1 Pravda wrecked on mission in 1941.

In Sept 1941, the crew of the submarine headed by Capt Lt Ivan Loginov was tasked to deliver ammunition, provisions, and medicines to besieged garrison of Hanko Naval Base. However, P-1 failed to reach the destination. On Oct 6, 1941 Soviet Navy Commander delisted the sub from Baltic Fleet as lost. There were 54 men onboard the submarine in her last mission. Causes of the sub's wreck and the fate of the submariners were unknown up to 2009. In the summer of 2009, her hull was founded during the North Stream pipelaying works 6 miles southward Kalbodagrund lighthouse. It was founded out after examination that the submarine had collided with Finnish mine when moving underwater. All crewmembers died.

Representatives of Russian Defense Ministry's Memorial Dept, veterans, historic researchers, and relatives of lost submariners on May 4 headed for the sub's wreckage site on board BF hydrographic ship Admiral Sibiryakov.

Remembrance activities will take place at P-1 wreckage site near Gogland Island and Kalbodagrund bank on May 5. Divers participating in the expedition will dive down to the sub's hull and plant a memorial plaque on it. After that, appropriate military honors will be paid to the lost submariners in accordance with the Russian Navy Chart. Participants will return to Kronshtadt in the evening of May 5.

Search of BF ships and subs lost during WW2 will continue. At present, researchers try to find submarine Sch-405 also lost in the Baltic in the fall of 1941.