What happened to the K-19 Widowmaker?
An epilogue reveals Vostrikov was acquitted, but the K-19 crew was sworn to secrecy and Vostrikov never given submarine command again. All seven men who went into the reactor chamber died of radiation poisoning, and twenty others later died from radiation sickness.
What happened to the captain of the K-19?
He retired in 1986, and after 1990, he was actively involved in Soviet Navy veterans’ affairs. He died in 1998 from a disease of the lungs, and is buried in Moscow next to some of his comrades from the K-19.
Is k9 Widowmaker a true story?
K-19: The Widowmaker is based on the true story of a near-disaster aboard the Soviet Union’s first nuclear ballistic submarine. It divides the submarine’s career into 10 chapters –from its rushed development and sloppy construction in 1958 to its decommissioning in 1991 and final destruction in 2002.
How many sailors died on k19?
Of the 139 crew members, 22 died of radiation poisoning–eight in a matter of days, the rest in the next two years. “Right on the spot their appearances began changing. Skin not protected by clothing began to redden, face and hands began to swell. Dots of blood began to appear on their foreheads, under their hair.
Can you smoke inside a submarine?
The Navy announced today a ban on smoking aboard submarines while they are deployed below the surface after medical testing showed non-smokers suffered effects of second-hand smoke. It will take effect by Dec. 31, 2010.
What happened to the Soviet K-19?
Even during its construction, a series of freak accidents plagued the dockyard workers who were assigned to make the K-19 seaworthy. In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union was rushing to catch up with American nuclear submarine development, and the K-19 was intended to be the first of its class.
What was the reaction to K-19 The Widowmaker?
Reception. When K-19: The Widowmaker was premiered in Russia in October 2002, 52 veterans of the K-19 submarine accepted flights to the Saint Petersburg premiere; despite what they saw as technical as well as historical compromises, they praised the film and in particular the performance of Harrison Ford.
How many people were on the K-19?
Carrying a crew of 139 the K-19 also hosted a variety of missile men, reactor officers, torpedo men, doctors, cooks, stewards, and several observing officers. During its first official mission, the K-19 was conducting exercises in the North Atlantic, near the south tip of Greenland.
Who was the original captain of the K-19?
In 1961, the Soviet Union launches its first ballistic missile nuclear submarine, the K-19, commanded by Captain Alexei Vostrikov ( Harrison Ford ), aided by executive officer Mikhail Polenin ( Liam Neeson ). Polenin was the crew’s original captain, and they have served together for some time; Vostrikov’s appointment is alleged…