BERLIN, March 11. /TASS/. The Andromeda sail yacht, which German investigators consider involved in the Nord Stream sabotage, does not have the special mechanism, required to submerge a large batch of explosives underwater, the Bild reported Saturday.
The author cited earlier media publications noting that perpetrators would have required at least 500 kg of explosives to blow up one pipe.
"It would take at least 1,500 kg of explosives for three explosions. The Andromeda does not have a crane to submerge such volume," the newspaper says.
The second discrepancy lies in logistics, the author says, opining that it is nearly impossible to transport so many explosives through Poland and Germany and remain unnoticed. The divers’ gear is the third issue, as experts doubt that the Andromeda is equipped to transport such gear.
A number of German experts are also skeptical that this yacht could have been involved in the sabotage.
Representative of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), diving expert Mathias Hoelzl told the Bild that submerging explosives would have been an "incredibly difficult" process for the Andromeda.
"[A diver] would require 30 liters of special gas mix only to dive to the bottom. Dozens of gas canisters would have to be kept onboard," he said.
"It is impossible to do with equipment, used by amateur divers," Jens Hoerner, a military diver who served in the German Navy, told Der Spiegel. He noted that the pipeline was laid 80 meters deep, while divers rarely dive under 18 meters. According to Hoerner, a deeper dive would require special oxygen tanks and special warm suits.
"In theory, any person could buy all this," he added.