INS Sindhurakshak tragedy: Russian experts suspect 'mishandling of equipment'

MUMBAI: A team of Russian experts visiting Mumbai after the sinking of INS Sindhurakshak at the naval dockyard here has suggested that the tragedy might have been set off by "mishandling of equipment".

According to sources, the team wrote off technical error or sabotage as the cause of the explosions that ripped through the 16-year-old Indian Navy submarine last week. "The experts raised the possibility of mishandling of equipment as the reason," said a source.

The defence source explained that before a submarine sets out it is checked thoroughly — "also through computers" — to eliminate chances of technical faults. INS Sindhurakshak was reportedly scheduled to leave for a patrol on August 14 and 18 sailors including three officers were on board at the time of the tragedy.

Two blasts tore through the vessel and started a blaze that ignited some weapons on board. This generated fierce temperatures that melted parts of the internal hull and deformed hatches.

Six bodies have been retrieved so far from the submarine. Navy divers recovered the sixth body around the control room on Saturday despite zero visibility and mangled metal.

The state of the bodies and conditions within the vessel have led the Navy to conclude that finding any surviving crew members is unlikely. The Navy has instituted a board of inquiry to probe the cause of the explosion and the ensuing fire.

On Sunday, the Navy gained access into the Kilo-class vessel's forward compartment by breaking open jammed hatches.