There are at least five nuclear submarines currently resting on the ocean floor as a result of accidents or damage. Three of the five are Russian. Two are American.

  • April 10, 1963: American sub USS Thresher sinks in the North Atlantic. All 129 crew were killed.
  • May 22, 1968: American sub USS Scorpion sinks near the Azores. All 99 crew were killed.
  • April 10, 1970: Russian sub K-8 catches fire off the coast of Spain. Partial evacuation ensued, but 52 hands went down with the ship the following day.
  • October 6, 1986: Following an explosion and fire, Russian sub K-219 sinks north of Bermuda, with 16 nuclear missles. Most of the crew survived, but four were killed.
  • April 7, 1989: Russian sub K-278 Kosmomolets sinks following a fire. There were not enough life rafts aboard and 41 sailors died. Two nuclear warheads were aboard.
  • August 12, 2000: Russian sub SSGN Kursk sinks. Rescue attempts were ineffective and the Russians were unable to save any of 118 crew (at least 23 of which survived the initial sinking). Note that the Kursk is no longer on the ocean floor; it was raised on October 8, 2001.

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