NEW DELHI — India’s defense minister says a massive explosion aboard a diesel-powered submarine at a dockyard in Mumbai has killed some of the 18 sailors on board. The apparent accident comes as the Indian navy has been modernizing its fleet and recently celebrated the launch of a newly-built aircraft carrier. Navy divers managed to open a hatch and enter the sunken submarine late Wednesday, many hours after a huge explosion ripped through the vessel berthed at a naval dockyard in Mumbai. But there has been no contact with the 18 sailors who are trapped inside the boat. Defense Minister A.K. Antony confirmed there have been casualties. "I feel sad also about those navy personnel who lost their lives in the service of the country," he said. Navy Chief D.K. Joshi acknowledged there is only a slim chance of finding survivors, saying “We hope for the best, but we have to prepare for the worst.” He said three sailors had jumped to safety following the explosion. Admiral Joshi said two near-simultaneous explosions just before midnight resulted in the fire. But he said it was difficult to pinpoint what caused the “catastrophe” aboard one of India’s most advanced submarines. “It is some of the ordnance which appears to have exploded, which particular ordnance exploded we do not know at this point in time," Joshi said. Eyewitnesses in Mumbai described an enormous ball of fire that lit the sky in the dockyard area. More than a dozen fire engines fought the blaze for two hours.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 21:05:41 +0000