18 Missing Naval personnel still 'not sighted', rescue operations continue 'around the clock'

The latest update of the search for Indian Navy Sailors which continued on Thursday have said that they have not been able to sight or recover the 18 trapped personnel inside INS Sindhurakshak during the fire and subsequent explosions which occurred between August 13 and August 14 .

Rescue operations were on in full-swing around the clock, but diving efforts into the submarine have been hampered due to poor visibility after Tuesday night's fire and explosions.

"Navy divers have entered INS Sindhurakshak on late evening of August 14, and efforts continue around the clock to ascertain the status of 18 trapped personnel who were inside the submarine at the time of the accident/ incident. Trapped personnel have not been yet been sighted or recovered," Defence Public Relations Officer Narendra Kumar Vispute said.

Describing the rescue operations in the submarine which is presently filled with water, Vispute said that poor visibility and the melting of the internal hull have contributed to hinder the progress.

"The diving efforts hampered by poor visibility inside (the) submarine, which is filled with water, extremely restricted spaces and displacement of most equipments from their original location. The heat of the explosion has melted parts of the internal hull, deforming the submarine hatches and is preventing access to compartments. Heavy duty pumps are being used to pump out the water from the submarine," Vispute added.

Vispute affirmed that diving and salvage operations are continuing around the clock, and that the top of the submarine can be seen even though entering it has been difficult.

The next update on the operations, barring an exceptional development, is expected at around noon tomorrow.

INS Sindhurakshak caught fire, after three explosions, and sank at the naval dockyard in Mumbai around midnight between August 13 and August 14.

About 18 persons, including three officers and 15 crew, were on board the submarine at the time of the accident and efforts are on to ascertain the safety of the personnel and salvage of the submarine.

A Board of Inquiry is being instituted to investigate into the causes of the accident.

Armed with its latest multi-role missile system, radar and electronics, the submarine was to be the backbone of the Indian Navy.

The submarine was fitted with the Club-S multi-role missile system capable of eliminating targets at a distance of over 250 kilometres.

The submarine was under consideration to be equipped with the Brahmos cruise missiles.

INS Sindhurakshak, a Type 877EKM in Russia, was constructed at St. Petersburg in 1997.

The submarine was designed to patrol and to protect naval communications, assault warships, enemy submarines, land targets and perform naval reconnaissance.

It is one of the quietest diesel-electric submarines in the world mainly intended for anti-ship and anti-submarine operations.

These submarines have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, top speed of 18 knots, and are able to operate for 45 days without refueling.

10 Kilo-class submarines were constructed in Russia's shipyards for the Indian Navy from 1985-2000.