Thirty-seven years after it sank in the icy waters of the Norwegian Sea, the Soviet nuclear submarine Komsomolets continues to cause concern among scientists, as a new report reveals that its reactor continues to leak radioactive material, reigniting fears of a future environmental disaster.

The submarine sank on April 7, 1989, approximately 1,700 meters below the sea’s surface, following a fire that broke out while it was underway. Of the 69 crew members, 42 lost their lives. A nuclear reactor and two torpedoes with nuclear warheads remain inside the submarine to this day.

As early as the beginning of the 1990s, environmental organizations were warning that the wreck was a “ticking time bomb.” In 1993, Greenpeace activist Dmitry Litvinov told the BBC that “the Komsomolets is a bomb ticking in reverse on the seabed of the Norwegian Sea.”

Early Efforts to Contain the Spill

After the sinking, scientific expeditions determined that sections of the hull had sustained severe damage from an explosion, allowing seawater to come into contact with the nuclear torpedoes.

Between 1995 and 1996, a special operation was carried out to seal the cracks and torpedo launch tubes, with the aim of containing the leak of radioactive materials. However, experts had already warned at the time that the sealing materials had a lifespan of about 30 years.

New report raises concerns

According to a report by the Norwegian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA), published in March 2026, the nuclear torpedoes remain sealed for the time being, but the submarine’s reactor is showing signs of progressive corrosion.

Researchers have recorded sporadic emissions of radioactive material, which appear intermittently as small “clouds” escaping from the wreck’s ventilation ducts.

Norwegian authorities clarify that the radiation levels measured to date are not considered dangerous to the marine ecosystem.

“Radioactive emissions from the reactor have so far had a very minor impact on the marine environment,” said Ingar Amundsen, acting director of the DSA’s International Nuclear Safety Department.

The risk remains

Despite these reassuring assessments, several experts warn that the shipwreck will continue to corrode as the years go by.

Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, points out that the condition of the reactor, the corrosion of the hull, and changes in ocean currents could affect how radioactive materials will disperse in the future.

As he explains, if radioactivity enters the food chain through bottom-dwelling organisms and fish, the consequences could become much more serious.

At the same time, he points out that the plutonium in nuclear warheads has a half-life of approximately 24,000 years, which means it will pose a potential threat for thousands of generations.

There are no plans for a new operation

Norwegian authorities acknowledge that further scientific monitoring of the situation is required; however, the depth at which the submarine lies—nearly 1,700 meters—makes any operation extremely difficult and costly.

For the time being, there are no plans for a new operation to seal or salvage the wreck, leaving the Komsomolets as one of the most dangerous Cold War-era nuclear wrecks on the ocean floor.

Source: cnn.gr