Sub survivors look unlikely, 5 bodies found
Five severely burnt and highly disfigured bodies of naval personnel were recovered Friday morning from the gutted submarine INS Sindhurakshak, and the Navy virtually conceded the other 13 sailors on board when the disaster struck were dead.
The Navy said finding survivors was “unlikely”, adding that the bodies in the front part of the submarine would have been “incinerated” by the heat generated by the explosion. The bodies have been sent for DNA tests. It has been determined a fire had led to the detonation of weapons inside, including torpedoes and missiles, that caused the explosion, but it is yet to be established what caused the fire.
The Navy also said access inside the submarine was hindered by “jammed doors and hatches, distorted ladders, oily and muddy waters inside the submerged submarine resulting in total darkness and nil visibility within the submarine, even with high-powered underwater lamps”. The option of seeking help from the United States, France or Russia during the investigation could also be considered, it is learnt.
The families of the 18 sailors now presumed dead were also brought to Mumbai, where an officer of the rank of rear admiral from the family cell and representatives of the Navy Wives Association are in touch with them.
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