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Explosion sinks INS Sindhurakshak Submarine with 18 onboard.

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@Abingdonboy @Capt.Popeye

Is it needed for us to call for USN help so that the sailors could be saved or are we self sufficient in this ??

No. The area where the accident has taken place is in shallow waters in Bombay Harbor. India will need the US DSRV only if a submarine is bottomed in deep-seas.
 
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RIP to the young the sailors

Russia is really building up a reputation for itself.
 
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NAVY chief has ruled out sabotage.

Also the 3 Naval officials who escaped with minor injuries said that it was an accidental blast and not sabotage.
 
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Ofcourse its not Sabotage....Media acts like a bunch of whiney kids these days....
 
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Alert Fire officer helped save second Submarine

A second submarine berthed near INS Sindhurakshak submarine that exploded and sank was saved from a possible disaster thanks to an alert senior Mumbai Fire Brigade officer who was near the mishap spot.



The blast shortly after midnight was heard ashore by Deputy Chief Fire Officer P S Rahandale who was on leave.

Rahandale, who showed a presence of mind, said today he saw a huge explosion on a ship near Gateway of India while returning home after attending a private engagement.

The officer said he immediately alerted his superiors about the tall flames that was leaping from the ill-fated vessel.

"....I saw a huge explosion on a ship and because of my experience whatever I saw I thought it is going to be a big one and because of that maximum resources were immediately deployed," Rahandale told TV channels.

Rahandale said that as he reached closer to the mishap spot he saw one sub was engulfed in fire while another sub which was about 8 to 15 feet away was "partially" on fire.

Rahandale said his team of firemen and Navy's Fire brigade personnel immediately "attacked" the flames that were near the second sub.

From the dozens of fire tenders a wall of high pressure stream of water was built between INS Sindhurakshak and the second sub with the help of eight to nine water cannons.

"Because of timely intervention of my team, my resources along with Navy resources we could save that second submarine," Rahandale said.

Naval Chief Admiral D K Joshi said the flames that leapt from the sinking vessel touched the outer casing of the second sub--also a Sindhughosh-class submarine like INS Sindhurakshak.

There was no damage to the second sub, he said, adding the vessel was quickly taken to safety
 
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China rising : Hi I have the highest regards for China and Chinese people .Don't get offened - this thread is about INS Sindhurakshak tragedy and not about Kolkata class destroyer or Indo- Russian relations ( which are above money matters ) . You should creat different thread . We will be glad to discuss and interact !
 
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INS Sindhu maybe salvaged as it was in just 2 m deep water. We have a pact with USA. As of 5 : 00 PM Navy chief says no foul play, to tum logo ko chuthi.

Salvaging and recovering the sub and making it operational are 2 different things...I don't think it would be made operational again considering the huge explosions and associated structural damage...let's see.

The second thing is that your media has already made up schematics...the recharging process made up gas, explosion, warheads cook off and boom...too hasty IMO...the Chief himself said that the recharging of the ship was done 3 days ago and the theory of gas buildup is unlikely.
 
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And it's still happening in magnificent fashion. The Kolkata-class destroyers were supposed to be $640 million per unit in 2008 (including spare-parts), and only three years later, in 2011, the costs rose to $2 billion per unit.

What does Kolkata class destroyers have to with Russia,and what does that have to do with INS Sindhurakshak??
Stop trolling.
 
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President Pranab confirms loss of lives in submarine explosion: President Pranab Mukherjee has expressed his grief and sorrow on the loss of lives in the submarine explosion in the dockyard in Mumbai.

In his message to Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi, Chief of the Naval Staff, the President has said, "I am saddened to learn about the tragic incident today involving a submarine which caught fire after a massive explosion and sank in the dockyard in Mumbai and in which 18 personnel of Indian Navy lost their lives."


"I am sure that the Ministry of Defence and the State Government is providing all possible help to the bereaved families who have lost their near and dear ones."
 
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Salvaging and recovering the sub and making it operational are 2 different things...I don't think it would be made operational again considering the huge explosions and associated structural damage...let's see.

The second thing is that your media has already made up schematics...the recharging process made up gas, explosion, warheads cook off and boom...too hasty IMO...the Chief himself said that the recharging of the ship was done 3 days ago and the theory of gas buildup is unlikely.

Maybe maybe not, as of now no foulplay. 3 guys who survived say malfunction. Even russian say they had issues.
 
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Indeed it's likely that the extensive damage caused by massive explosions have dealt deadly blow to INS Sindhu rakshak . Possibility of making it operational seems dim . Let us wait for final assessment .
 
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AK Antony laments 'tragedy' of India submarine blast

Indian Defence Minister AK Antony has described two huge explosions and a fire on an Indian submarine berthed at a Mumbai dockyard as a "shocking tragedy".

Navy chiefs earlier warned the families of 18 sailors on board the submerged vessel to "prepare for the worst" after the two near-simultaneous explosions.

Mr Antony offered "heartfelt condolences" to relatives of the dead.

It is not clear what caused the blasts. Sabotage has not been ruled out.

"A board of inquiry will cover the entire spectrum of the incident, we cannot rule out sabotage at this stage but all the indicators at this point do not support that theory," navy chief Admiral DK Joshi said.

"Divers have opened the first hatch of the [submerged] submarine and are in the process of going down now. A detailed examination can only be carried out after the water is pumped out and the boat has come back to the surface."

Earlier officials told the BBC they suspected the tragedy to be the result of an on-board error, not involving any outside agency.

Adm Joshi said that the boat has remained under water for much of Wednesday and that there had been no communication with the crew on board.

Scandal-hit military

No bodies have yet been recovered.

Correspondents say that India has steadily developed its naval capabilities in recent years, motivated by its rivalry with neighbouring China. But the country's military has encountered numerous scandals and difficulties as it has done so.

On Tuesday the federal auditor suggested that the government may have paid too much for 12 helicopters from Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland, saying procurement procedures designed to ensure value for money were not properly followed.

The blast on the INS Sindhurakshak took place after midnight (18:30 Tuesday GMT) and firefighters spent four hours putting out the blaze.

Officials said the diesel-powered vessel has been badly damaged.

As the emergency services rushed to the scene, it emerged that the explosion and fire had killed a number of crew members

One navy official told the BBC that "surviving an explosion of this huge scale" was rare.

Many sailors managed to jump to safety after the blast. Some were taken to hospital.

Dramatic images on Indian television showed a large fireball illuminating the sky. Smoke from the blaze could be seen in many parts of the city.

The authorities have offered assurances that there is no fear of any further explosions.

The Russian-built submarine was upgraded recently at a cost of $80m (£52m). At the time of the explosion it was said to be fully loaded with ammunition.

Russian firm Zvyozdochka, which refitted the submarine, said the vessel had been fully operational when it was returned to India in January. Reports from Russia say specialists are ready to help with the aftermath.


Amateur video shown on Indian television showed a large fireball illuminating the sky
'Great loss'

"It's a great loss to us... it's the greatest tragedy of recent times," Mr Antony told reporters in Delhi before leaving for Mumbai to visit the site of the incident.

The INS Sindhurakshak, which is powered by diesel and electricity, is one of the 10 Kilo-class submarines bought from Russia between 1986 and 2000. It is equipped with Russian Club-S cruise missile systems.

The submarine was sent to Russia for the refit in 2010 after a sailor on board was killed by a fire that broke out in the battery compartment while the submarine was docked at the Vishakhapatnam naval base in February that year.

Wednesday's explosion comes just days after India's navy launched its first home-built aircraft carrier, hailed by defence officials as a "crowning glory".

INS Sindhurakshak timeline

1997: INS Sindhurakshak procured by Indian navy, one of the 10 vessels in the Kilo-class submarines bought from Russia between 1986-2000
February 2010: A fire that broke out in its battery compartment kills one sailor
August 2010: Submarine sent for re-fit to equip it with cruise missile systems
June 2012: Refit completed with refurbished hull and 10 years added to its 25-year service life
October 20102: Sea trials begin for submarine
14 August 2013: Submarine hit by explosion and fire with sailors feared trapped inside
INS Sindhurakshak: India's submarine woes
The submarine was sent to Russia for the refit in 2010 after a sailor on board was killed by a fire that broke out in the battery compartment while the submarine was docked at the Vishakhapatnam naval base in February that year.

Wednesday's explosion comes just days after India's navy launched its first home-built aircraft carrier, hailed by defence officials as a "crowning glory".

Last year, India bought a Russian Nerpa nuclear submarine for its navy on a 10-year lease from Russia at the cost of nearly $1bn, making it part of a select group of nations to operate nuclear-powered submarines.

India and Russia are long-time allies and Russia supplies about 70% of India's military hardware.

http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23691561








submarine
 
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Indian Sailors Killed as Explosion Rips Through Docked Sub


Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) -- An explosion ripped through a diesel-powered Indian submarine, killing at least some of the 18 sailors on board and leaving the vessel partly submerged.

Speaking outside parliament before heading to the accident site in Mumbai, Defense Minister A.K. Antony said he felt “very sad” about the deaths of sailors, without specifying the number killed. The explosion and subsequent fire at a navy dock occurred inside the INS Sindhurakshak just after midnight.

“While we hope for the best, we have to prepare for the worst,” Navy Chief Admiral D.K. Joshi said today at a press conference in Mumbai. He said there has been no communication with the crew since the explosion.

The blast is a setback for the Indian navy as the country seeks to bolster its military amid a buildup by neighbor China. On Aug. 10, India activated the atomic reactor on its first indigenously built submarine, and two days later unveiled its first homegrown aircraft carrier.

“The navy has certainly lost some of the sheen it has built up over the last week,” said Uday Bhaskar, a former Indian Navy commodore and now a defense analyst at the Society for Policy Studies in New Delhi. “Compared with other navies that operate submarines, India has a very good track record.”

Bhaskar said the explosion was the worst-ever disaster for India’s submarine program. The Sindhurakshak, whose name means “protector of the ocean,” is a Russian-built Kilo class submarine that returned to Mumbai earlier this year after a $133 million refit at a shipyard in Russia, according to India’s defense ministry.

Cause Unknown

The blast occurred at the Navy Dockyard in Mumbai less than a mile from the financial capital’s luxury Taj Mahal hotel. It took the Mumbai fire brigade more than two hours to bring the blaze under control as flames illuminated the night sky.

Joshi said the fire was caused by two almost simultaneous explosions. While the cause of the fire is not known, it could have been triggered by ammunition, fuel or oxygen bottles on board, he said.

Divers searching for rescuers have managed to open one of the vessel’s escape hatches and are attempting to create watertight compartments so the sub can be emptied of water and re-floated for examination. The number of casualties was lower because only the night-watch team was aboard, he said.

In 2010, a sailor on board the submarine was killed by a fire that broke out in the battery compartment while it was docked at naval base in southern India, Press Trust of India reported at the time. The ship was sent for an overhaul in Russia later that year.

Kursk Disaster

There have been several accidents aboard Russian-made submarines in the past 15 years. Twenty Russians died on a vessel when a faulty firefighting system was accidentally activated during trials in the Sea of Japan in 2008. The Kursk sank in August 2000 after an onboard explosion in the Barents Sea, killing all 118 on board.

India plans to increase its defense spending by 14 percent in the next financial year as it modernizes its military to counter traditional rivals as well as China’s rising power.

In the last week, India has achieved two military milestones, activating the nuclear reactor aboard the INS Arihant submarine, and on Aug. 12 unveiling its first home-built aircraft carrier. The 37,500-ton vessel was unveiled at a shipyard in the southern city of Kochi but won’t enter active service for several years.

Indian Fleet

India’s navy has a fleet of 15 submarines, including 10 diesel-electric vessels similar to Sindhurakshak. They have a maximum diving depth of 300 meters (984 feet), a top speed of 18 knots and are able to operate for 45 days with a crew of 53 people, according to the navy’s website.

India last year inducted a Russian-built nuclear-powered attack submarine into its navy at a cost of $900 million that allows longer missions and a faster response to threats. The rest of the submarines are more than a decade old, with half of the fleet commissioned in the 1980s.

Rahul Bedi, an analyst and correspondent for Jane’s Defense Weekly, said the sinking was a major loss for the country’s naval ambitions, with only about half the sanctioned number of submarines now available.

“The submarine fleet has been a worry for the navy for many, many years but for reasons of inefficiency the ministry of defense has taken it very lightly,” Bedi said.

--With assistance from Siddharth Philip in Mumbai. Editors: Mark Williams, Sam Nagarajan
Business: Washington Post Business Page, Business News
 
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