The Russian Cruiser Murmansk

The Russian cruiser Murmansk -
Photo by Geir Jenssen. (Thanks for giving me permission to use the picture!)
Copyright Geir Jenssen  - visit his website to see beautiful pictures from Sørøya!

When the churchbells rang on Christmas Eve 1994, the population of Sørvær got a very special Christmas gift. The Russian cruiser "Murmansk" came straight towards the parish without any crew on board. The cruiser was on its way to India where it should be cut to pieces, but out of Senja it got loose from the tow. Then it sailed for four days through gales and storms without any crew, and was never captured by the coastguard or the naval defences. "Murmansk" ended its voyage as the next-door neighbour of the NATO-radar on Sørvær!

Now "Murmansk" is run aground under a steep mountain and three stone's throw out of picturesque Sørvær. The wreck that is 211 metres long and has a weight of 17.000 tons, has become an unwanted landmark for the small fishing village with 300-400 inhabitants. "Murmansk" is run aground at the depth of about 15 metres, and it stands firm; the keel has bored its way deep into the sea floor. From time to time it brings the name Sørvær out in the news media - concerning unsuccessful attempts to tow the vessel of the ground or fear that there are 400 tons of oil hidden on board. In Juli 2001 came the news that the biggest firm in the country that has specialized on breaking up ships, Graveservice from Skien, will go to Sørøya to inspect "Murmansk" and examine the possibilities to cut it to pieces

1800 Soviet men served on board of this war machine, and the vapour of cold war still hangs over the cruiser. Rooms with old electric panels on the wall, where all the instructions are on Russian, hang there nearly intact. The tower of command most of all reminds of Hitler's bunker in Berlin. The people who were inside of there, were evidently to survive most kinds of attacks.

The Russian cruiser Murmansk -
Photo: Ingunn Kvil Gamst

Today "Murmansk" lies as a ghostship near Sørvær and is a stain of an "attraction" that the county of Hasvik simply could do without. The comfort must be that the winterstorms during some years, maybe a decade or two, will remove the parts of "Murmansk" that is above water.

When "Murmansk" first ended here, local youths were having parties on board the wreck; some left behind beer bottles bear witness to that. This has now come to an end - the rumours say that the wreck is haunted! The ungreased hinges creak when the westerly wind hits, and the radar can suddenly start to rotate all by itself. But now "Murmansk" has got other guests on board - it has got visitors from home! The big Russian Crabs have come crawling along the bottom of the sea, and like the wreck from the days of the cold war, they have probably come to Sørvær in Finnmark to stay.