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Underwater Search for Iconic Shipwreck
01 Sep 2004
Russian and Danish divers used the first CE approved closed circuit breathing system last month during a four day underwater research mission in the Arctic's Chukchi Sea. The Inspiration Closed Circuit Rebreathers (CCR) are able to reuse the oxygen left unused in each exhaled breath while they simultaneously remove CO 2using a chemical 'trap'. The net result is greatly extended dive times with relatively small tanks. The CCR helped the eight divers to combat the sub-zero temperatures which exist at the site even in summer.
The Chelyuskin 70 Expedition sailed on the research vessel Academician M. A. Lavrentyev tolocate and explore the wreck of the Chelyuskin , a steamer which set out from Murmansk in July 1933 on an attempt to complete the first single season navigation of the Northern Sea Route to Vladivostok by a commercial vessel. In February 1934, after 7,000km of sailing, the steamer was crushed by pack ice and sank suddenly in the Chukchi Sea. The crew of 104 (including 10 women and two children) escaped onto the ice floe and survived in sub-zero temperatures for 60 days until rescued by seven Soviet pilots. The heroic rescue has become a triumphant moment in modern Russian history and remains a symbol of extraordinary Russian endurance and bravery.
The Chelyuskin 70 Expedition to mark the 70th anniversary of the shipwreck intended to explore the shipwreck for the first time, search for the ship's logbook, and examine damage in an effort to understand why the ship sank so quickly.
What proved to be inaccurate coordinate information from earlier expeditions resulted in the final resting place of the legendary vessel not being confirmed.
However, using a tele-controlled robot (TSL) developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences and Russian sonar technology (SARGAN) to scour the seabed on low frequency, the dive team discovered a ship sized object in heavy marine deposits which may yet prove to be part of the Chelyuskin .The team brought back geological and sediment samples for laboratory investigation. If funds can be secured in 2005, another attempt to find the Chelyuskin will be made using geophysical equipment over a wider area of the seabed. The next expedition will use remote magnetometers and underwater metal detectors to investigate objects identified by this year's sonar research and then deploy divers and hydromonitors to remove sediments.
MJ Information No: 19829
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