Explosion on India's 2nd largest Navy ship, 5 killed

New Delhi: An explosion rocked INS Jalashwa on Friday evening leading to the death of five Naval personnel. Three others were critically injured in the incident.
The 16,900-tonne INS Jalashwa is the second largest ship of Indian Navy after aircraft carrier INS Viraat. It is the first warship from the United States to join the Indian Navy.
India bought the 30-year-old ship sometime back and it was commissioned in the Navy in September last year. The ship is said to have a life span of 25 more years.
The incident occurred when the ship was taking part in a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal between Visakhapatanam and Port Blair.
The Naval Headquarters has confirmed the accident and the deaths. The incident is believed to have occurred due to some engineering problem.
An official statement issued by the Navy said that the accident took place while the ship was at sea, engaged in exercise.
"The Indian Navy regrets to inform the occurrence of an accident on board INS Jalshawa on the evening of February 1 while the ship was at sea, engaged in exercise with the fleet units between Visakhapatnam and Port Blair," the statement said.
"While the cause of the accident and other details are being ascertained, we can confirm with deep sorrow that five sailors lost their lives and three personnel are injured," the statement said.
"Medical resources within the fleet have been concentrated to treat the injured. The ship is proceeding to Port Blair, where the deceased and injured personnel would be brought ashore. Relevant additional details would be made available on receipt. A board of inquiry has been constituted," it added.
Sources say the explosion occurred in one of the boilers in the ship. It was previously called USS Trenton and is an amphibious assault vessel that can embark, transport and land troops, artillery, vehicles, etc., to provide support to military operations ashore.
The ship can carry a large number of troops and can also be used as a floating hospital.
The Navy has sent its medical ships to treat the injured and to bring back the serious cases to Port Blair. Defence Minister AK Antony expressed his deep regret at the loss of lives.
The Defence Ministry as well as the Naval Headquarters said that a board of inquiry has been constituted to probe into the incident.
This incident comes just a few days after Navy's most advanced submarine, the INS Sindhughosh, met with an accident after it slammed into a foreign merchant vessel during while taking part in fleet-level war games in the Arabian sea.
The accident, in which the entire 53-member crew on board INS Sindhughosh escaped unhurt, took place on January 7, 2008 when the submarine was surfacing.
INS Sindhughosh is just one of few submarines in the Indian Navy that can launch anti-ship and anti-land missiles.