An explosion, followed by a fire occurred Wednesday night in the forward side of Russian-built diesel-electric Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak, killing several crew members, Reuters reports.
According to India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony, eighteen crew members were inside the submarine berthed at Naval dockyard in Mumbai when the blast took place.
At present efforts are being undertaken to open hatches on the tilted submarine to search for the survivors.
The cause of the explosion remains to be unveiled.
The unfortunate incident comes in the aftermath of India’s efforts aimed at boosting its domestic naval capabilities, especially shipbuilding industry, which took a giant leap forward with the launching of INS Vikrant , India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) along with activation of the nuclear propulsion reactor on board its first indigenously-built nuclear sub INS Arihant.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, August 14, 2013; Image: flot