At least seven Navy personnel were injured and two naval officers are feared missing in a mishap on board the Kilo Class submarine INS Sindhuratna. Dense smoke filled a cabin of the submarine early this morning, when it was being sea tested after a refit, about 80 km off the Mumbai coast. Russian-origin INS Sindhuratna had recently undergone a refit and was handed over to Navy in December.

INS Sindhuratna, carrying a total of 94 naval personnel was underwater when the incident happened. The submarine has been brought to the surface and is now headed towards the Mumbai coast.

Speaking to AIR Correspondent, Naval Commander Rahul Sinha said all the injured have been airlifted to the naval hospital INHS Ashwini in Mumbai. He said all the officers are now out of danger. Commander Sinha further added that the smoke has been completely defused. He said a Board of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the reason behind the mishap.

This is the tenth accident involving an Indian Navy warship and the third submarine mishap in the last seven months.