Crew of Russian nuclear submarine quarantined due to potential coronavirus exposure
The crew of the Russian nuclear submarine K-266 Orel (Eagle), which is equipped with cruise missiles, has been put under strict quarantine, reports the Russian news outlet Bi-Port
The reason for this is the contact of one of the submariners with a person infected with coronavirus.
"The entire crew of the nuclear submarine Orel, which is based in the Northern Fleet, has been put under quarantine. The reason for the quarantine was the contact of a civilian specialist who visited the submarine for work related reasons. He is believed to have been in contact with a person who has a pre-confirmed coronavirus infection. In addition to the Orel crew, the crew of the nearby submarine and the floating workshop were quarantined," reports Bi-Port.
Considering the fact that the crew of the Russian nuclear submarine K-266 Orel is 107 people, and the crew of the neighboring submarine and the floating workshop can be the same number, it is likely that more than 300 Russian servicemen and navy specialists have been quarantined.
The Russian Navy's Northern Fleet has not provided any comments regarding the incident. But according to Bi-Portal, the situation is very urgent, even though the Orel is not equipped with nuclear weapons.
If the information is correct, the Russian fleet has lost at least two submarines. It is possible that a special regime can be introduced on other Russian warships and submarines.