the Kursk disaster

The Kursk disaster occurred in August 2000 when the Russian submarine Kursk, a nuclear-armed submarine, sank in the Barents Sea during a naval exercise. An explosion inside the submarine caused a catastrophic hull breach, leading to the deaths of all 118 crew members. The accident was caused by a malfunction in a torpedo, which ignited and triggered a series of explosions inside the vessel. Despite rescue efforts, the crew could not be saved. The tragedy highlighted issues in submarine safety protocols and transparency, prompting reforms in Russia’s maritime safety measures.