Two points, one, the old collision problem that jams hatches applies to emergency escape stuff too, When I served in the Merchant navy it was a rule on British ships that cabin doors were NEVER shut at sea but had a short hook that held them partly opened, because in a collision or explosion (I served in Tankers, mostly) the door frame could distort and imprison you..so in the case od the Kursk and explosion( big enough to register 3.4 on the Richter in Norway) could easily have bent things enough to prevent escape mechanisms from working, and 2 I have been to the Barents Sea( one early spring trip to Archangel)it is one of the most inhospitable places on the planet the currents are amazing (10kts against in places and certain states of the tide) so keeping a stable platform for anything on it is going to be very difficult so even the locals were having probs. I hope they find anyone who is alive and get them out as it must be the most horrible feeling to be buried alive under the Arctic seas , not knowing if there is any help coming..Thanks to Spit Whistle for his expert knowledge...