Russian nuclear icebreaker involved in collision
The incident happened on January 26 on the northern sea route, off Russia’s northern coast
Rosatomflot, which operates Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet, said the damage had not affected the vessel’s reactor
A RUSSIAN nuclear icebreaker was involved in a collision with a multipurpose vessel in the icy waters of the northern sea route.
Russia-flagged 50 Let Pobedy (IMO: 9152959) (50 Years of Victory) came into contact with Russia-flagged, 20,144 dwt MPV Yamal Krechet (IMO: 9202041) off Russia’s northern coast while clearing ice.
A Lloyd’s List Intelligence casualty report said the icebreaker had sustained significant damage to its hull.
The incident occurred in the early hours of January 26 but was not made public until January 28.
“In the harsh conditions of the Arctic in the Kara Sea, while performing a close manoeuvre, the icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy sustained damage to the outer hull of the left side,” a spokesman for Rosatomflot, the government atomic energy agency that operates Russia’s fleet of icebreakers, told Lloyd’s List.
“No one was injured. Its seaworthiness has not been compromised. There is no threat to the life support systems or the reactor. The nuclear icebreaker continues its work in the waters of the northern sea route as planned.”
The reactors are located at the aft of the icebreaker, but the damage occurred at the forward portion of the vessel.