A Russian submariners? club has thrown its weight behind a proposal to build a monument to a heroic seaman in Bermuda. asked readers two months ago ? on the 20th anniversary of the sinking of the Soviet ballistic missile vessel K-219 600 miles from the Island ? whether they thought Sergei Preminin?s efforts to save the world from a nuclear catastrophe should be honoured here.

Many people wrote in to say they backed a memorial for the 21-year-old seaman who died after manually turning off the reactors on the 10,000 ton, 425 foot long submarine.

And word of the idea soon got as far as Seaman Preminin?s home country. Retired Admiral Georgiy Egorov and Captain Igor Kurdin, of the St. Petersburg Submariners? Club, contacted this newspaper to support the proposal. They wrote: ?With great pleasure and excitement we have known the news about the initiative of erecting a monument to Russian sailor Sergei Preminin on Bermuda Islands.

?We wholly support the idea and appreciate the memory of Bermuda people of the simple Russian young man who sacrificed his life to prevent a nuclear disaster.?

The pair added: ?The K-219 crew and Sergei Preminin acted as they were to act and as their sense of duty led them.

?The monument could symbolise the appreciation of the Bermuda Islands to a simple Russian sailor and sign the end of the Cold War in our hearts. We hope that Bermuda people will vote for the monument and it will be erected.?

Elsewhere in the world, there has been backing for the scheme.

Larry Grant, a retired US Navy nuclear reactor operator, contacted us to say: ?I believe there should absolutely be a memorial for this hero in Bermuda.

?He didn?t give his life to save his ship which was already beyond saving. He didn?t give it to save his crew which were being evacuated to a Soviet freighter.

?He gave it to protect the people of your country and the United States from a massive environmental disaster in the gulf stream. He is a true hero. Not many people would enter a reactor compartment at power not just once but twice to save others.?

Closer to home, others expressed their support. Allan Davidson e-mailed this comment: ?Bermuda should definitely erect a memorial to this brave young man!

?His unselfish action saved his shipmates from a most unpleasant fate, the possible results of which would have undoubtedly had a very negative effect on every man, woman and child on these islands. I?d be happy to contribute to a suitable memorial!?

Pam Kiernan added: ?Why should we not have a memorial placed here? Perhaps those who are against it should look back and calculate the repercussions, had he not have intervened that fateful day in 1986.?

And J. Greig, of Warwick, wrote: ?This near disaster occurred so close to our island and that makes it part of our island?s history so, if not a monument, then a bust or plaque or something which will keep his memory and what he did alive.

?It is shameful that I did not know this brave young man?s story or about the ultimate sacrifice he made for every person on earth. If nothing else recognition of this young man?s death needs to be taught to our children as a true tale of what it means to be brave and not forgotten. He was a hero and our children need to learn about heroes.?

* is still seeking your views on a memorial to Seaman Preminin. E-mail newsroyalgazette.bm or write to the editor at the usual address.