MOSCOW, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Violations of operating procedures caused the Russian mini-submarine to be stranded on the Pacific seabed for three days last month, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday citing results of a probe into the accident.

    "A scrupulous investigation into the accident has been conducted within a month's time, as was promised. It was established that outrageous violation of the instructions by senior officials of the Russian Pacific Fleet was the main cause of wrong 'swimming and diving rounds'", Ivanov told reporters, theItar-Tass news agency reported.

    The AS-28 mini-submarine was ensnarled on the Pacific seabed off the Kamchatka Peninsula for nearly three days in early August and was eventually lifted to surface with all crew members alive in a rescue operation aided by a deep-diving British Scorpio rescue vehicle.

    Newly appointed Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Masorin said Monday investigators of the accident found the crew had made errors operating the craft.

    Masorin also said the navy is considering buying a Scorpio submersible rescue vehicle. Enditem