Indian submarine crew killed by blast
An Indian naval submarine with at least 18 sailors on board catches fire after an explosion and sinks in its home dockyard in Mumbai.
Local TV news stations showed social media footage of the blast and subsequent fireball on the Russian-made submarine which occurred early on Wednesday morning.
Defence Minister AK Antony said there had been fatalities but gave no further details.
“It’s a loss to all of us. It’s a tragedy … I feel sad about the navy persons who lost their lives,” Mr Antony told reporters in New Delhi before leaving for Mumbai to assess the situation.
Navy spokesman PVS Satish said efforts were under way to rescue trapped sailors but it remains unclear how many crew members were killed and rescuers have yet to establish contact with survivors trapped inside.
In addition to navy fire-fighting crews, 16 fire engines from the Mumbai fire brigade raced to battle the inferno, which started with the explosion shortly after midnight and was brought under control after about two hours.
Navy spokesman Narendra Vispute said an investigation into the incident has been launched.
Submarine returned to Mumbai from Russia after upgrade six months ago
The 16-year-old Russian-made submarine – INS Sindhurakshak – had returned from Russia earlier this year after a two-and-a-half-year refit and upgrade, said Rahul Bedi, a defence analyst for the independent Jane’s Information Group.
The vessel suffered a previous explosion in 2010 that killed one sailor and injured two others. The navy said that accident was caused by a faulty battery that leaked hydrogen, causing a similar explosion.
According to TV news reports, Wednesday’s fire set off two torpedoes on board the INS Sindhurakshak, and the missiles hit another submarine and a naval vessel. Damage to the second submarine is apparently minor.
It’s a tragedy … I feel sad about the navy persons who lost their lives – Indian Defence Minister AK Antony
This incident, currently reported as accidental, comes as India faces a shortage of submarines.
The Indian government has authorised its navy to have up to 24 conventional submarines, but it has just 14. Mr Bedi said the INS Sindhurakshak was one of these, and five of the 14 are due to be retired by 2014-15.
Indian naval breakthroughs
The Indian navy had been celebrating recent breakthroughs as it plans to build a strong fleet to counter China’s presence in the Indian Ocean.
Its first home-built aircraft carrier was launched on Monday, though this will not be fully operational until 2017.
India has also designed and built its own nuclear submarine. The navy activated the atomic reactor on that vessel on 10 August and could deploy it in the next two years.