Rio De Janeiro - The Brazilian navy yesterday began the ponderous task of fishing its fleet's largest submarine, which sank on Christmas night, out of the water.
A team of 50 navy specialists began the delicate, slow process of retrieving the Tonelero from its current resting place, nine metres underwater. After the workers toiled for several hours, the upper hatchways broke the surface early yesterday.
None of the crew members were injured when the submarine sank in shallow water at the naval base in Rio de Janeiro, where it was under repair, naval officials said.