DEEP WATER ROBOT RT-1000 REACHES SEABED AT A-320 CRASH SCENE
by Dmitry Nezdorovin

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 16, 2006 Tuesday

The RT-1000 deep water robotic device has reached the seabed in the
Black Sea at the site of the crash of the Armenian airbus A-320 in
order to spot and lift from the water two flight data recorders of the
plane, the operation’s technical support headquarters told Itar-Tass
on Tuesday.

According to the head of the Russian Transport Ministry’s sea and
river transport agency Rosmorrechtrans, Alexander Davydenko, the
RT-1000 had earlier not taken part in such operations and only lifted
from the seabed geological samples of less than 20 kilogrammes from
minor depths. “In these conditions the robot is capable of lifting
the plane’s fragments under 12 kilogrammes and two flight recorders
weighing seven kilogrammes each,” Davydenko indicated.

RT-1000 is c complex consisting of three parts, the largest is a
container with control equipment. The next segment with photo and
television equipment will go to the bottom of the sea and examine it.

The third device is a hydraulic elevating manipulator working in all
directions. “The RT-1000 is working at a depth of up to 500 metres
in an area of 20×20 metres. The robot will inspect the territory by
inches,” said the Rosmorrechtrans head.

The operation is conducted from board the Navigator special ship.