Sindhurakshak brought out of water after lengthy salvage operation

NEW DELHI: Submarine INS Sindhurakshak, on which 18 sailors were killed after it sank due to "internal explosions" at the Mumbai naval dockyard last August, has finally been fished out of water in the complex salvage operation underway since February.
"The Kilo-class submarine, on a special pontoon, was brought to the dry dock on Monday. After forensic and other examination of the vessel now, the pending board of inquiry (BoI) can be completed to establish the exact cause that led to the mishap," said an officer.
On August 14 last year, INS Sindhurakshak had been fully-loaded with 18 missiles and torpedoes in the armament compartment towards its nose since it was to head for a long patrol. But as per preliminary findings, there was "an accident or inadvertent mishandling of ammunition'' which caused things to spiral out of control with some missile and torpedo warheads exploding in "sympathetic detonation'', as reported by TOI earlier.
The salvage operation undertaken by US-based firm Resolve Marine under the Rs 240 crore contract inked with it on January 31 involved defusing the unexploded missiles and torpedoes still present in the forward two compartments of the 3,000-tonne submarine and then restoring the "water-tight integrity" of the last four compartments.
"The process to slowly winch out the Russian-origin submarine out of water, by placing it on a specially modified barge with the help of cranes, jacks and chain-pullers, began thereafter," said the officer.
INS Sindhurakshak's sinking had marked the beginning of a series of naval mishaps which ultimately led to the then Navy chief Admiral D K Joshi's resignation on February 26. The accident blew a big hole in the Navy's underwater combat arm, leaving it with only 13 aging diesel-electric submarines – nine Kilo-class of Russian origin and four HDW of German-origin. Of the 13, only nine are operational as of now, with four stuck in long repairs and refits.