INS Sindhurakshak: Navy divers open second access to submarine

Opening of the jammed forward escape hatch is being attempted for an entry to the front portion of the submarine

Battling the odds, the navy divers continued the search for more bodies aboard submarine INS Sindhurakshak without any success but managed to open a second access to the sunken vessel during an overnight "challenging but critical" operation.     

"The divers gained a second access to the submarine late last night when they successfully prised open the rear escape hatch, submerged below and jammed due to high temperature," a release from the navy said.

Opening of the jammed forward escape hatch is being tried for an entry to the front portion, it said.

Sources said the divers were carrying out the task of searching within the submarine by "feeling each inch" due to zero visibility in the flooded compartments, to find the missing bodies and mark a probable route for further operations.     

The identification of the five bodies recovered so far is being given high priority and all means including DNA profiling is being carried out, a Defence spokesman said.     

Doctors at the state-run J J Hospital here have completed post-mortem on the bodies recovered from the submarine.

"DNA samples and dental marks have been taken (to ascertain identity)," said an official, adding all these will be sent for forensic analysis.

Doctors have opined that prima facie the cause of death was burning and drowning. However, other details will be known only after receiving the forensic report, the sources said.