Norway on radiation alert

The submarine is stranded between Norway and Russia

Norway is maintaining a close watch on the crippled Russian nuclear submarine off its Arctic coast, but says no traces of radiation have been detected yet.

The Kursk sank in the Barents Sea about 300km (185 miles) east of Norway's north-eastern tip, while taking part in a naval exercise.

We are continuing a fairly intensive programme of tests

Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority

Norway's Foreign Ministry says it has received an official Russian report on the incident, revealing that the Kursk's accident happened on Saturday - a day earlier than previously believed.

Ministry spokesman Karsten Klepsvik said the Russian report "states that the accident happened on 12 August" and "the vessel was located on Sunday".

The 116 trapped Russian sailors are reported to be low on oxygen and the extra day would add to their difficulties.

Crisis panel

Seawater is checked for radiation

A Norwegian crisis panel of experts including military personnel, health workers and radiation experts is monitoring the situation.

"We are continuing a fairly intensive programme of tests of air and sea. All the tests so far show no traces of radioactivity from the submarine," said Per Strand, acting head of the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority.

Radiation monitoring stations in the northern province of Finnmark are on high alert.

Mr Strand said there was "no reason to doubt the Russian assurances", but Norway wanted to be sure because of the submarine's proximity to its territory and doubts about what caused the accident.

He said Norway's armed forces had taken a sample of water near the site of the accident.

Norway's concerns

The Norwegian military says it has helicopters, sea planes and vessels available if Russia requests help.

Norway still monitors the wrecked Komsomolets

Norway is one of two Nato members to share a border with Russia, and has long been concerned about the safety of post-Soviet nuclear weapons and vessels.

It has a 185km (115-mile) land border with Russia's Kola Peninsula, the base of the once powerful Northern Fleet.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union used the twin Arctic islands of Novaya Zemlya for nuclear tests.

In April 1989 a nuclear submarine, Komsomolets, caught fire and sank north of Norway, killing 42 people. Norway has regularly monitored the wreck, fearing a radiation leak.

Hotline

Armed forces spokesman Kjell Grandhagen said Russian and Norwegian military chiefs used an emergency hotline for the first time after the accident. The phone link was set up in April 1999.

Norwegian Rear Admiral Einar Skorgen, the head of the armed forces in northern Norway, used the hotline to call Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, the head of Russia's Northern Fleet, on Monday and offered Norway's help.

So far Russia has declined Western offers of help in the rescue effort.

A nuclear expert with the Norwegian environmental group Bellona said he was surprised there were no nuclear weapons on board the stricken submarine.

Thomas Nilsen said it would be "the first time that an Oscar U-boat participated in an exercise in the Barents Sea without cruise missiles with atomic warheads on board".

However, he said there was no reason to doubt Russia's words.