Murmansk - The Russian official heading the government investigation into the Kursk disaster said yesterday it was caused by one of the submarine's torpedoes exploding. But Deputy Prime Minister Mr Ilya Klebanov has left open the possibility that the nuclear-powered submarine had also collided with an unspecified object.
The Kursk sank in the Barents Sea in August 2000 after two explosions on board. All 118 men on board died.
"The basic cause of the destruction was the initial explosion of one of the torpedoes," Mr Klebanov said. "We cannot say today what caused that explosion because it could have been a collision."