An Indian navy submarine INS Sindhurakshak with about 18 sailors on board caught fire after an explosion and sank in Mumbai, at its berth in the naval dockyard. The submarine has recently returned home after a major refit at Russia's Zvezdochka shipyard.
Navy spokesman Narendra Vispute said the fate of 18 persons onboard the submarine is being ascertained. The cause of the explosion was being investigated. The submarine was maintained by Russian specialists under Zvezdochka warranty. According to the press center of the shipyard there are 7 Russian specialists in India, there are no injuries among them.
The submarine had a combined power system using both diesel fuel and electricity from batteries.
The accident could be caused by leaked hydrogen which lead to fire and then to explosion after it reached the missile compartment. Similar situation caused an explosion in 2010 that killed one sailor and injured two others.
Submarine Sindhurakshak of Project 877ЭКМ is the ninth submarine in the series of Kilo-class submarines of Indian Navy. INS Sindhurakshak was laid down in one of Russia's oldest shipyards, the Admiralty Wherf yard in St. Petersburg, in 1995. It was launched in 1997 and delivered to India in December that year.
The contract for its refit and modernization was signed in June 2010.
Part of the refit involved installation of equipment for Klub-S cruise missiles and over 10 Indian and foreign-made systems, including the Ushus hydro-acoustic (sonar) system and CSS-MK-2 radio communications system. In addition, the boat's cooling system was modified, a "Porpoise" radio-locater fitted and other work carried out to increase the boat's military capacity and safety.
In June 2012, upon completion of the shipyard repair the submarine was floated out. In November-December 2012, the sub successfully underwent contractors' trials. In January 2013, Indian Navy took delivery of the submarine.
Its loss came barely two days after India acquired its first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the nuclear reactor that propels Arihant, the country's first ballistic missile submarine, went critical Aug 9.