Russian ship Liman

Liman (Russian: Лиман) was a Russian naval intelligence vessel that sunk after a collision in 2017 which resulted in no casualties.

Sister ship Cheleken
History
Name: Liman
Namesake: Liman, a type of estuary prevalent in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov
Operator:
Builder: Stocznia Polnocna
Launched: 1970
Fate: Sank 27 April 2017
General characteristics
Class and type: Modified Moma-class survey ship
Type: Spy ship
Displacement: 1,542 tons full load
Length: 73.32 m (240 ft 7 in)
Beam: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
Draught: 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
Installed power: 2 × Zgoda-Sulzer diesel engines, 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) each
Speed: 17.3 knots (32.0 km/h)
Crew: 78
Armament: 16 × Strela-2 surface to air missiles

Description

The ship was 73.32 metres (240 ft 7 in) long, with a beam of 10.80 metres (35 ft 5 in) and a draught of 3.85 metres (12 ft 8 in). It displaced 1,542 tons at full load. The vessel was propelled by two Zgoda-Sulzer 6TD-48 diesel engines, rated at 1,800 horsepower (1,300 kW) each. The ship had a speed of 17.3 knots (32.0 km/h). Armament was sixteen Strela-2 surface-to-air missiles.[1]

History

The ship was built in 1970 by Stocznia Polnocna, Gdańsk as a hydrographic survey vessel and converted to military use in 1989.[1][2] It was outfitted for signals intelligence (SIGINT) purposes.[2] It initially served with the Northern Fleet and was transferred to the Black Sea Fleet in 1974.[3] In April 1999, Liman was deployed in the Adriatic Sea at the request of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević to monitor NATO operations against Yugoslavia.[4][5] It also saw service during the Russian intervention in the Syrian Civil War.[6]

Sinking

On 27 April 2017, the vessel sank in the Black Sea following a collision with Youzarsif H, a Togo-flagged livestock freighter.[2][7] The location of the collision was 29 kilometres (16 nmi) off Kilyos.[3][8] At the time it sank, the ship carried a crew of 78, all of whom were rescued:[7] 63 – by the Turkish Coast Guard and 15 – by the Youzarsif H itself.[9] Later all crew were transferred to the Russian cargo ship Ulus Star.[10] Youzarsif H proceeded to Capu Midia, Romania due to concerns about the welfare of the livestock she was carrying.[11]

On 3 May, Russia sent the rescue ships SB-739 and Seliger to the area where Liman sank to try to salvage sensitive equipment from the ship or even raise the vessel, which sank in international waters.[11]

References
  1. "Intelligence Ship "Liman"". KCHF. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. Fahim, Kareem; Roth, Andrew (27 April 2017). "Russian navy intelligence ship sinks after collision with freighter off Turkish coast". The Washington Post.
  3. "Russian spy ship Liman sinks off Turkey after collision with freighter". BBC News Online. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. "World: Europe. Milosevic's weapons plea". BBC News. 2 April 1999. Retrieved 27 April 2017. Mr Ivanov has also been explaining the decision to send the Liman warship to from its Black Sea base to the Mediterranean. He said it was "in the interest of Russian security only". The Liman left the Black Sea port of Sevastapol on Friday and is expected to reach the Mediterranean on Saturday.
  5. Felkay, Andrew (2002). Yeltsin's Russia and the West. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 201. ISBN 9780275965389.
  6. Gallagher, Simon (28 April 2017). "Russian spy ship sunk by sheep barge; sheep (and sailors) unhurt". Arstechnica. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  7. Kingsley, Patrick (27 April 2017). "78 Rescued as Russian Naval Ship Sinks After Collision". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  8. "Russian naval ship, cargo vessel collide off Istanbul coast, all soldiers rescued". Hurriyet Daily News. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017. The collision was caused due to fog and low visibility, the Turkish shipping agency GAC said. It occurred 29 kilometres (16 nmi) from the Istanbul town of Kilyos on the Black Sea coast just north of Istanbul.
  9. "Russian ship sinks in Black Sea after crashing into freighter". Press TV. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  10. "Средний разведывательный корабль "Лиман"" [Medium reconnaissance ship "Liman"] (in Russian). KCHF. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  11. "Special teams and salvage ships deployed to accident site off Kilyos". Sea News. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
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