Moscow - Russia gave up hope of recovering the bodies of all 118 crew members who perished aboard the nuclear-powered submarine Kursk in Arctic waters and allowed Norwegian salvage teams to leave the site yesterday.
The leading spokesman for Russia's Northern Fleet said the Regalia offshore platform, which served as the base for the 18-day salvage operation, set off for Norway after it was determined that no more could be done.
Russian and Norwegian divers, accompanied by Russian naval officers, held a brief ceremony on the Barents Sea to remember those who died. A spokesman for the Norwegian arm of US oil services firm Halliburton said the Regalia had left the area.