Defence Minister AK Antony informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday that preliminary investigations indicated that explosion aboard Sindhurakshak submarine on August 14 was due to possible ignition of armament on board. Making a statement about the first ever accident on an Indian submarine, Antony, who visited Mumbai on August 14 to take stock of the situation, said the cause of ignition was yet to be established.
Visual and forensic examination would throw more light into the possible cause of ignition. This will be possible only after the submarine is afloat and dewatered. A Board of Inquiry with all relevant specialists has been constituted to investigate the likely causes of the accident at the earliest, he said. In the backdrop of the accident of this magnitude, extensive checks on weapon related safety systems and audit of Standard Operating Procedures on all operational submarines of the Indian Navy were ordered, Antony said.