Scientists discovered a radiation leak from a Russian nuclear submarine wreck.

Straalevernet / Twitter

Norwegian scientists have discovered radiation levels 100,000 times higher than normal near a Soviet-era nuclear submarine that sank 30 years ago in the Arctic, Norway’s TV2 broadcaster reported Tuesday.

One of three seawater samples taken from the Komsomolets on Monday has returned radiation levels 100,000 times higher than normal seawater, TV2 reported. 

The sample was reportedly collected near a ventilation hole that occasionally kicks up a mysterious cloud of dust. Scientists told TV2 that they believe this ventilation hole has direct contact with the reactor inside the wreck and that the pollution comes out in pulses as a result.

“The results are preliminary. We will examine the samples thoroughly when we get home,” Hilde Elise Heldal of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research said.

Slik ser den sovjetiske atomubåten "Komsomolets" ut i dag – 30 år etter at den sank i Norskehavet. Forskerne fikk de første bildene av vraket sent søndag kveld. pic.twitter.com/4QBMB3svPv

— Direktoratet for strålevern og atomsikkerhet (DSA) (@dsa_stralevern) July 8, 2019