36 years later, sunken Soviet nuclear sub still leaks radiation

More than 30 years after the Soviet nuclear attack submarine Komsomolets sank in the Norwegian Sea following a deadly fire in 1989, it continues to leak radioactive material from its corroding reactor. Norwegian researchers, using remotely operated submersibles in 2019, captured video evidence of a radioactive plume escaping from a ventilation pipe near the reactor compartment. Elevated radionuclide levels and plutonium isotope ratios confirmed the leak originates from the reactor rather than external contamination. Despite this, the radioactive release remains well contained, with no measurable impact detected on marine life or the local environment due to rapid dilution in seawater. Additionally, sediment samples near the nuclear torpedoes showed no plutonium leakage, indicating that titanium patches applied in 1994 remain effective. The Komsomolets, resting upright at a depth of 5,511 feet, still contains two nuclear-tipped torpedoes and a nuclear reactor. Soviet and Russian efforts between 1989 and 2007 included repeated dives