BEAR ISLAND, NORWAY — Researchers from Norway and Russia have discovered radioactive leakage from a Soviet-era nuclear submarine wreck in the Norwegian Sea.<br /><br />The Komsomolets sank in the ocean in 1989, taking the lives of 42 sailors after a fire broke out.<br /><br />A joint expedition between the two countries was conducted this month via the remotely-operated vehicle Aegir 6000 to monitor and collect information about radioactive contamination at the wreckage site, BBC News reports.<br /><br />Researchers took several water samples from in and around a ventilation duct of the submarine, with the highest recorded level of radioactive caesium being around 100 becquerel per liter or 800,000 times higher than normal. <br /><br />In comparison, other areas in the Norwegian Sea have radiation levels around 0.001 becquerel per liter, according to a news release from the Institute of Marine Research.<br /><br />Researchers have also taken samples of seawater and organisms that now live on the shipwreck for further analysis.<br /><br />Researchers say the Soviet-era submarine wreck is 1,680 meters in the ocean.<br /><br />The Komsomolets sank while carrying two nuclear torpedoes with plutonium warheads.<br /><br />The team released a video of their expedition showing the remains of the submarine.
