Komsomolets nuclear submarine continues to leak radiation in Norwegian Sea

Recent studies have confirmed that the Soviet nuclear submarine K-278 Komsomolets, which sank in the Norwegian Sea in 1989, continues to release radioactive materials into the ocean.

Located at a depth of approximately 1,680 meters, the wreck contains a 190-megawatt nuclear reactor and two torpedoes containing roughly 3 kg of plutonium each. Researchers found that the reactor fuel is actively corroding due to contact with seawater. Water samples taken from an open ventilation in the wreck contained approximately 800 becquerel per liter of cesium-137, and plutonium levels near a metal grate were 66 times higher than the average background level.

The Komsomolets was a highly advanced titanium-hulled vessel designed for extreme depths. It sank following a fire caused by a short circuit on April 7, 1989, resulting in the deaths of 42 crew members. While the leakage is a persistent environmental concern, experts from the Institute of Marine Research note that the radioactive substances dilute rapidly in the vast volume of deep seawater, and there is currently no conclusive evidence of significant damage to nearby marine fauna.