Juliett 484

Juliett 484 News

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Photo Essay - Return to the Surface for the Russian Sub

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By August 2, divers had successfully replaced pumps in the aft compartments, and enough water was removed to allow the stern to float. These photos, taken August 4, show a dramatic difference.

Image 1 shows the entire stern out of the water, and image 2 shows the stern from another angle. Compare this with ithe August 2 photos, where only the forward edge of the missile blast deflector was above water.

Image 3 is a closeup of divers still at work in the area of the stern, and image 4 shows the original tourist access hatch in the outer hull. This hatch was not used in Rhode Island, but was removed to facilitate diver access to the free flood area. By August 8, the continued dewatering of tanks and voids, along with additional pontoon manipulation, resulted in the sub reassuming a position very similar to normal (image 5).

Image 6 shows pump discharge hoses entering the free flood area.Ventilation of the pressure hull had begun (images 7 and 8). Image 9, taken from aft of the sail, shows a level deck. In Image 10, LT Robert Williams (right foreground) from the Office of the Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) discusses ballast tank issues with a MDSU-2 sailor.

Image 1	Image 2	Image 3	Image 4
Image 5	Image 6	Image 7	Image 8
Image 9	Image 10

From 1-2 August, the dewatering process made headway against the mud suction. In these photos taken on 2 August, the stern of the submarine is still awash in the first image, but the edge of the aft missile blast deflectors can now be seen. The continuing port list can be clearly seen in the next image, looking toward the bow. In the last image, sailors from MDSU-2 work to open deck hatches in an attempt to access the tops of ballast tanks.

At about 9 PM on the evening on Saturday, August 2, enough compartments and tanks were dewatered to allow the entire stern to break the surface of the water.

While media attention waned after the bow of K-77 was successfully raised on July 24, much work still remained to be done. The salvage plan was to raise the bow first, then raise the stern. The latter task proved to take more time than expected; problems with inflatable lift bags and the need to have divers enter the partially submerged sub to replace pumps in the aft three compartments certainly added to the training value of the exercise.

The next six photos were taken on July 31, one week after the bow was successfully raised.

More than a year under water has diminished the glory of this star, once bright red against a jet black background.	A good general view of the work site, showing some of the yellow beach gear. In the left foreground is one of the hydraulic pullers, which helped right the sub by pulling wire rope attached to strong points. The sail of the sub can be seen just below the blue tent on the pier.	The LCU, moored in an outboard position to provide additional anchoring points during the raising of the sub. When fully raised, the row of limber holes along the hull of the sub will be parallel to, and well clear of the waterline. This photo clearly shows the sub is still down by the stern.
Discharge from a dewatering pump can be seen coming out from behind the pier, by the orange pontoon. The small yellow float marks the end of the still-submerged stern. The pollution boom marks a semicircle around the sub, whose periscopes show the list to port. The framework at the top of the picture is a portion of the old coal conveyor system which used to fuel the nearby power plant.	A close up of the scene in image 4. The forward part of the sub is on the surface but clearly listing to port. The instrument on the top of the periscope mast is an inclinometer, measuring list and trim.	The four gauges on the right side of image are called pneumofathometers, measuring water depth remaining in each of the aft compartments: 5, 6, 7 and 8. Each receives data from a sensor placed near the pump in each compartment, and measures the success of the dewatering in that space.

26 July, 2008
US Navy and Army Divers along with Federal, State, and Local Authorities continued their efforts in a joint service operation to raise the sunken former Russian submarine Juliett 484, at Collier Point Park in Providence, RI. Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two Company Two One (MDS CO 2-1), US Army Dive Company and NAVSEA OOC Support Unit finished their work to stabilize and recover the former soviet cruise missile submarine that sank at her mooring point in about 30 feet of water during a nor'easter, which struck Providence in April of 2007. The submarine rose to the surface on Friday, 25 July 2008. (U.S. Navy Photos; used with permission)

Navy Diver 1st Class Jason Potts, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit TWO, Company 2-1, swims on to the stern of the former Soviet submarine Juliett 484 to conduct salvage operations. U.S. Navy and Army Divers along with federal, state, and local authorities participate in a joint service operation to raise the sunken former Soviet submarine Juliett 484, at Collier Point Park in Providence. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Christopher Perez/Released)

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Last Updated:
8/13/08