Poll: Responsibility for Nerpa Tragedy Lays upon Freon Supplier
16.10.2012
Text: RusNavy.com
Illustration: Central Navy Portal's logo
Supplier of freon gas is responsible for the tragedy happened to nuclear-powered submarine Nerpa, say most respondents of the poll held by Central Navy Portal.
It was the opinion of 53.32 percent of pollees. Other 27.04 % respondents said NPO Avrora was the one to blame for the accident, as it is the designer of Molibden-I system controlling the submarine's onboard equipment.
14.29 percent of the website visitors charged the Russian Navy command of the tragedy happened to Nerpa. And only 3.32% and 2.04% of respondents consider the sub's commanding officer Capt 1 Rank Dmitry Lavrentiev and bilge engineer Petty Officer Dmitry Grobov (respectively) guilty of the accident.
The poll posted on the webpage of Central Navy Portal since July 13 till Oct 16 was attended by 392 internet users.
Take note, according to poll held in 2008, most respondents of Central Navy Portal (48.06%) put blame for the Nerpa tragedy upon the submarine's crew.
The accident happened to Pacific Fleet's nuclear-powered attack submarine Nerpa in the night of Nov 9, 2008. Onboard fire-smothering system accidentally operated during trials in the Sea of Japan; as a result, the low-grade fire suppressant – mixture of freon and toxic carbon dichloride - began entering two bow compartments. In total, there were 208 persons of regular crew and trial team onboard the sub during the sea trials; 20 men died as a result of the accident (including 17 civilian experts). Over 20 out of 38 persons suffered from the accident were hospitalized with severe intoxication.