Russian navy removes remains of crew from wreck of Kursk
Forensic experts are beginning to remove bodies from the wreck of the Kursk.
Officials have so far removed three bodies from the rear section of the submarine.
Russian navy officials say its nuclear reactors and missile arsenal pose no danger.
Russian Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov is leading the team investigating the Kursk in a dry dock in Roslyakovo near Murmansk.
He says the bodies found so far can be identified by sight, meaning they are not badly damaged.
The Kursk was raised from the Barents Sea floor on October 8 in a salvage operation performed by the Dutch Mammoet-Smit International consortium.
Forensic experts rushed inside the vessel once it dried out on Thursday, to quickly take bodies out to avoid damaging contact with the air.
Most of the Kursk's 118 sailors were blown to dust by powerful explosions that sank the submarine during naval exercises in August 2000.
But at least 23 survived the crash for hours in the stern compartments, according to letters found by divers who recovered 12 bodies from the sunken vessel a year ago.
After the bodies are recovered, the next immediate task will be to secure the Kursk's nuclear reactors and its 22 Granit cruise missiles, each containing enough explosives to sink an enemy aircraft carrier.
