Original version

BBC World Service Online

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History: Whiskey On The Rocks

Documentaries

News

Whiskey On The Rocks

28/06/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Whiskey On The Rocks

The Cold War stand-off when a Soviet submarine was stranded on a Swedish rock.

The Cold War stand-off when a Whiskey-class Soviet submarine was stranded on a Swedish rock in the early 1980s. It took eleven days to negotiate its release.

In 1981 a Whiskey-class Soviet submarine became stranded on a rock just off the coast of southern Sweden. For years Sweden had suspected the Soviets of patrolling illegally in their territorial waters. Now they had their proof. It took 11 days of tense negotiation before the submarine was allowed to leave. Tim Mansel speaks to Klas Helmerson, who helped interpret on behalf of the Swedish navy.

Photo: The Soviet submarine U-137 that ran aground in Karlskrona archipelago, Sweden in October 1981 (Credit: TT agency via Press Association)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

Whiskey On The Rocks

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service