Warm Hearts On A Cold Sea

The Russian navy should feel no shame at having asked for international assistance in the rescue of a minisub crew stranded at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean off Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (a place we all know well.) An unmanned British vehicle freed the Russian sub after nearly three days in 45-degree darkness trapped by a fishing net, allowing all seven crew members to emerge in good health.
Some said the Russians had learned the lesson from the 2000 disaster in which more than 100 men died waiting to be rescued from the submarine Kursk in the Baltic Sea after an explosion sank her. But news reports said the authorities initially withheld the news of the imperiled sub until the mother of one of the sailors leaked (no pun) the story to a radio station. Only then did the government call for help from Japan, the United States and the British.
The Russians were surely concerned about protecting their military secrets, obviously a major factor in the Kursk incident (the cause of the explosion is still unclear). Wounded pride was probably an issue as well. Operating submarines is expensive, risky and complicated business and the Russians are struggling to keep their edge.
But the U.S. has had its share of sub disaster in recent years too, including the USS San Francisco, which smashed into an undersea mountain this year, and the USS Greenville, which collided with a fishing boat during a high speed surfacing a few years ago. Both incidents were deadly.
Considering the number of subs in the water and the thousands of brave crew who operate these ships, it's safe to conclude that the service is no more statistically deadly or risky than flying planes or launching space shuttles, or even driving on the highway. Accidents, however, are sadly inevitable. So there is no reason for the Russians to fear a perception of ineptitude.
Instead, they should be proud of the choice of placing their sailors' lives ahead of all other considerations. Submariners are a close-knit band of brothers, regardless of nationality, who surely do not hesitate to stick their necks out for each other, easily picturing themselves in a similar predicament but for the grace of God.
This incident should be remembered as a triumph and example of international cooperation at a time when it's badly needed.