Indian Submarine Suffers In-Port Explosion, Duty Section Feared Lost

Indian Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak (S63) suffered a series of onboard explosions shortly after midnight local time, and is apparently sunk at the pier. This article says that duty section of 18 men, including three officers (one the XO), has been declared dead.

The last article also featured speculation from a retired Indian submarine Admiral that a battery well hydrogen explosion triggered onboard ordnance.

Says Admiral Singh, “In the Kilo Class submarine, the ammunition compartment is located directly above the battery compartment, in the forward part of the vessel. A fire in the battery compartment could have ignited or detonated the ammunition on board.”

If it was a battery well explosion, it draws eerie parallels to a previous hydrogen explosion on the same boat in 2010 that killed one Submariner.

Staying at PD...

Update 2115 15 Aug: Here's an updated story listing the lost crew members names, and speculating that the more powerful explosions were onboard ordnance cooking off.

Update 1555 19 Aug: It looks like they're leaning towards an "ordnance cooking off somehow" explanation.