Barents Sea, August 12th, 2000. During a Russian naval exercise, and after suffering a serious accident, the K-141 Kursk submarine sinks together with 118 crew members onboard. As the sailors that are still alive can live, their own families push a British officer and info struggles to obtain from the Russian government that a permit until it's overdue to attempt a rescue. But basic incompetence are against each of their own efforts.