INS Sindhurakshak submarine exploded after fire onboard and sunk

INS Sindhurakshak, a Kilo class submarine of the Indian Navy, was exploded after a major fire took place on board yesterday after midnight on 14 August 2013.

The incident is a big setback for the Indian Navy as there were around 18 personnel, including three officers, may have been died. The loss of Sindhurakshak, a Russian-made submarine, had caused further trouble to the navy as the submarine fleet is already in a depleting situation now.

After the explosion, the submarine has submerged at her berth with only a portion visible above the surface. Navy is fully committed and putting its efforts to ascertain the safety of the personnel and salvage of the submarine.

According to a TV footage a huge ball of fire after the explosion lit up in to the night sky in the naval dockyard of Colaba area.

The 2,300 tonne submarine is powered by a combination of diesel generators and electric batteries and it recently went to Russia for a major upgrade programme and returned.

It is capable of carrying potent weapons package including the anit-ship 'Club' missiles. The submarine is housed with the torpedoes, a self-propelled weapon with an explosive warhead launched above or below the water.

The submarine has sunk at the dock after the explosion and only a part of it is visible to the surface.

In the past, there was a mishap led to fire on board Sindhurakshak due to the explosion in battery compartment. This incident occurred in 2010 left one sailor dead and two injured.

Major accidents over last few years in naval vessels are:

In 2008, INS SSindhugosh, the Kilo class vessel, had a collision with a merchant vessel off Mumbai during a naval exercise.

In 2011, INS Vindhyagiri, had a collision with a merchant vessel and caught fire near Mumbai harbour. The surface warship is on board and returning from a picnic with families of group of officers. But luckily no injuries sustained.