Eight more bodies have been taken out of the Kursksubmarine, bringing to 11 the number recovered since the wreck was placed in dry dock early this week.
All of the bodies were recovered from the rear ninth compartment, which has now been cleared.
Investigators, making their first inspections of the 18,000-tonne hulk since it was raised from the bottom of the Barents Sea on October 8th, have also managed to enter the sixth section next to the chamber where the submarine's two nuclear reactors are housed.
Fears have been expressed at possible radioactive pollution, but Russian officials say no leaks have yet been detected.
The Kursksank on August 12th last year following two as-yet-unexplained explosions in the forward section.
All 118 crew members died in the disaster. Twelve bodies were recovered in an underwater operation last November.
The wrecked sub, minus the front section that was cut off for security reasons, was raised in an international salvage operation that lasted three months and cost some euro 73 million.
AFP