Even as the INS Sindhuratna reached the Mumbai harbour on Thursday morning for inspection and repair, the two officers who had been reported missing in Wednesday's incident have been found dead.

The Sindhuratna had suffered a mishap on Wednesday morning during a routine training and workup (inspection) at sea. Smoke was reported in the sailors' quarters, in compartment number three, by the submarine.

The two officers, Lt Commander Kapish Muwal and Lt Commander Manoranjan Kumar, were on duty on board the INS Sindhuratna.

While Lt Commander Kapish Muwal was an electrical officer, Lt Commander Kumar was on watch-keeping duty on the submarine.

The families of both the deceased have been informed of their deaths by the Navy.

Following the confirmation, Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command, is expected to fly down to Delhi and resign from his post.

Vice Admiral Sinha has expressed his desire to put in his papers taking moral responsibility for the recent submarine mishaps. Most recent naval incidents/accidents have taken place under his watch. He is the senior-most naval officer after admiral DK Joshi, who took full moral responsibility for the recent spate of submarine incidents and resigned on Wednesday from his post.

Sinha's resignation, close on the heels of Joshi's resignation, is likely to upset the entire chain of command of the Navy.

On Wednesday, smoke was reported from the INS Sindhuratna. The Russian-made Kilo class submarine was underwater at that time and was forced to surface.

Soon after the mishap was reported aboard the submarine, the Navy Chief Admiral DK Joshi had resigned from his post.

In his resignation letter, Admiral Joshi said that though the government had continued to repose faith in his capabilities, it was becoming untenable for him to continnue as th head of the maritime force in temrs of accountability.

Joshi has become the first Navy chief to resign in service.

Speaking about Admiral Joshi's resignation, Defence Minister AK Antony expressed sadness at his resignation and said that he had met PM Manmohan Singh and had also consulted "everybody" before accepting Joshi's resignation.

PAST INCIDENTS

Earlier this month, INS Airavat, a tank-landing ship, ran aground in Vishakapatanam and its propellers were badly damaged.

On January 22, the missile frigate INS Betwa had suffered a collision at Mumbai harbour.

In December, Indian Navy frigate INS Talwar hit a fishing trawler off the Ratnagiri coast.

Earlier in the same month, a fire broke out onboard the INS Konkan and the frigate is still not repaired.

In September 2013, a fire broke out on India's only aircraft carrier INS Viraat off the coast of Mumbai.

In August 2013, multiple explosions ripped apart the torpedo compartment of Kilo-class submarines INS Sindhurakshak berthed at the Naval dockyard in Mumbai. Three officers and 15 other sailors were killed in that incident.