1.   After days of trying, Russian navy officers finally reached the escape hatch at the rear of the submarine with a rescue capsule.

2.   But five men stayed inside and decided to trust their lives to a rescue capsule built onto the top of the sub.

3.   Russian rescuers made two attempts on Tuesday, two overnight and at least one Wednesday morning to attach a rescue capsule to the submarine Kursk.

4.   Some reports said that raising the rescue capsule, a simple chamber that hangs from a ship, could take several hours to avoid potentially fatal complications from decompression.

5.   Systems aboard the Soyuz rescue capsule are recovering small amounts of moisture in the atmosphere for drinking purposes.

6.   Then the top brass maintained its prickly refusal to accept western help as it undertook three unsuccessful attempts to dock a rescue capsule with the ill-fated sub.

7.   A rescue capsule was almost lost during an earlier attempt because of the strong currents, said navy spokesman Igor Dygalo, who gave no details.

8.   A rescue capsule was forced back to the surface during the night after running out of air, they said.

9.   A second rescue capsule also was being prepared in case it was needed to assist to bring survivors to the surface, navy officials said.

10.   Four Russian rescue capsules were taking turns to try to reach the Kursk, each spending up to five hours submerged.