Zee Media Bureau

Visakhapatnam: In yet another accident involving an Indian Navy vessel, one worker was killed and two injured at construction site of nuclear submarine INS Arihant at Eastern Naval Command here, Navy and police sources said on Saturday.

The incident took place when the pressure of the hydraulic tank of the Arihant class submarine was being tested and the tank`s lid fell on the workers at Building-5 of the shipbuilding cente, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Avinash Chander said.

Reports quoted Chander as saying that the Defence Research & Development Organisation has ordered inquiry into the accident onboard the follow-up submarine of warship INS Arihant.

"During testing of a pressure tank at a facility of Department of Defence R&D related to development of submarines at Vishakhapatnam, an accident took place while testing of a pressure tank at about 5 PM in the evening," a statement by the DRDO said.

"The submarines are safe and the accident does not adversely affect the project," the statement added.

The under-construction nuclear submarine INS Arihant was to be launched soon for sea trials which were to be completed within this year.

Recently, Navy officials had said that after the trials of the INS Arihant are completed, it would be ready for induction into operational service.

Chander had earlier said during the sea trial phase, the INS Arihant would fire the indigenously-developed BO-5 missiles, which have a range of around 700 km, which is fully integrated with the INS Arihant.

This is the 12th incident involving naval assets in

service in the recent past or which are expected to join the Navy in near future.

Around 10 days ago, warship INS Sindhuratna had suffered a mishap under water when smoke and fire killed two officers and the incident led to the exit of former Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi who resigned taking moral responsibility over the spate of incidents.

The biggest mishap had occurred when the INS Sindhurakshak sank in Mumbai harbour, killing all the 18 personnel on board on August 14.

Last month, INS Airavat, an amphibious warfare vessel, had run aground after which the commanding officer was stripped of his command duties.

After the sinking of the INS Sindhurakshak, one of the mishaps involved INS Betwa which was damaged apparently after hitting an underwater object.

India`s leading minesweeper INS Konkan, that was undergoing repairs in Visakhapatnam, had caught fire and suffered major damage to its interiors. The Pondicherry-class minesweeper was getting a refit at a dry dock when the incident occurred.

Under the Arihant class submarine development programme, India is building around three submarines which have not yet been named so far.

The first vessel of the class INS Arihant is expected to be launched for sea trials within a month or two and these are expected to be completed within this year.

Recently, Navy officials had said that after the trials of INS Arihant are completed, it would be ready for induction into operational service.

The ATV project is directly under the DRDO and the Navy plays a significant role it it.

(With PTI Inputs)