The Union government is yet to give formal sanction to a dedicated organisation for dealing with naval accidents despite a series of accidents involving submarines and ships and loss of several lives. An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General also says a series of missteps led to the deadly 2013 accident in a submarine off Mumbai in which 18 people were killed.
“The Indian Navy, since inception, has no institutionalised framework to deal with safety issues. A dedicated organisation for dealing with safety issues was set up by the Indian Navy only in 2014; however, it awaits government’s sanction,” the CAG report tabled in Parliament on Friday said.
Submarine accident
The explosion aboard INS Sindhurakshak and its sinking off Mumbai in August 2013 resulted from a series of missteps, the audit says.
Quoting the Board of Inquiry proceedings into the sinking, the audit points out that the “operational deployment of the submarine in August 2013 by Indian Navy was not justified due” several reasons. Among them are the laid-down ships operating standards (SHOPS) for the submarine had not achieved the requisite harbour and operational evolutions; complete “work-up” of the submarine was not conducted when the submarine was prepared for operational deployment as the “work-up” was completed within one week instead of prescribed two weeks; the trials and calibration of navigational aids and sensors should be completed prior to deployment of a submarine for “work-up” with any consorts; however, in the case of INS Sindhurakshak , the sea acceptance trials of two pieces of critical equipment were not completed even at the time of its preparation for operational deployment; and submarine authorities concerned did not properly assess the crew fatigue, besides the submarine was holding ammunition nearing life expiry.
The audit found that many recommendations of the inquiries into naval accidents had not been implemented. This included installation of smoke and fire detectors in all compartments of submarines and procurement of extended line breathing apparatus (ELBA) sets, carbon composite submarine breathing apparatus (SBA), light weight breathing sets for submarines etc.
Safety organisation
The idea of creating an Indian Navy Safety Organisation was mooted first in 2006 and ultimately promulgated in October 2012, the audit says. “It was set up in February 2014, though it is yet to be sanctioned by Government,” the audit said.
From 2007-08 to 2015-16, a total number of 38 accidents occurred, which led to a loss of 33 lives of service officers and sailors.
The Navy lost two ships ( INS Vindhyagiri and TRV A-72 ) and one submarine ( INS Sindhurakshak ) in these accidents. Of these accidents, the highest of 12 occurred during 2013-14, followed by six in 2007-08, five in 2014-15 and four each in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
The audit points out that out of 38 accidents, 15 (39%) occurred due to fire/explosion/flooding, six (16%) of vessels touching the bottom, another six (16%) were caused by collision of vessels and remaining 11 (29%) were of miscellaneous nature which included accidental stranding and suspended movements, venting of poisonous gas, damages to sonar while docking and damage to aircraft hangar onboard the vessel.
