India submarine: Smoke injures sailors on INS Sindhuratna



Two Indian navy sailors are missing and seven others are in hospital after inhaling smoke during an accident on board a submarine off the Mumbai coast.

The INS Sindhuratna was being tested at sea when smoke triggered the automatic closure of hatches, officials said.

The incident is the latest in a series involving Indian navy warships and submarines in the past few months.

Last year, 18 sailors died when another submarine sank after two blasts and a fire at a Mumbai dockyard.

Initial investigations showed arms on board the Russian-built INS Sindhurakshak may have played a role in its sinking.

The incident was the Indian navy's worst disaster in many years.

In the latest incident, reports said INS Sindhuratna was not carrying any ammunition since it was still being tested.

"The submarine was on a routine training sortie off Mumbai's coast when smoke was detected. Measures were taken to contain it," navy spokesman Commander Rahul Sinha told the NDTV news channel.

"All the sailors are currently undergoing treatment under the supervision of a team of doctors," he added.

Navy ships have been deployed around INS Sindhuratna to provide help, Commander Sinha said.

The Russian-origin Kilo class vessel was recently refitted. Reports said there was no serious damage to the submarine and that it was making its way back to the harbour.

A board of inquiry under a senior officer has been ordered to find out the reason behind the accident, Press Trust of India reported.

Last month, another submarine, INS Sindhughosh, reportedly carrying ammunition and a full crew, ran aground while returning to the harbour in Mumbai.

There was no loss of life or damage to the submarine.

In February 2010, one sailor was killed when a fire broke out in the battery compartment of INS Sindhurakshak.
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