INS Sindhurakshak (S63)

INS Sindhurakshak in February 2013 in Portsmouth

• 2300 tonnes ( surfaced )
• 3040 tonnes ( submerged )

1 x PG165 electric motor

1 × 4050 hp ( 2979 kW)

• 6 torpedo tubes Ø 533 mm

INS Sindhurakshak ( S63) is a diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy. It belongs to Sindhughosh class. It was built in St. Petersburg and put into service in 1997.

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Construction and conversion

During its construction, the boat was first performed with the Russian label B -477 and passed on December 24, 1997 to India. From that point on it was called the Sindhurakshak and the identifier S63. The boat was transferred to India and stationed in Mumbai.

Fire and modernization

When the boat was in the Indian Naval Base Vishakhapatnam 2010, there was an explosion in the battery compartment by escaping hydrogen from one of the cells, in which a crew member died and two others were injured. The boat was then moved to Severodvinsk, where it arrived to be modernized in order to project 08 773 in August 2010. Core of the modernization was the equipment of the boat on the use of cruise missiles of the type Klub -S and added a modern radio and sonar systems of Russian and Indian design. The work was completed in late 2012. After test shots with the new cruise missiles, the boat was handed over on 26 January 2013, the Indian Navy. The crew began with the re- transfer to Mumbai, which lasted until April 2013. In this case, the boat was caught in shallow waters off the Egyptian coast in March 2013 by a severe storm and the Egyptian Navy had to bring in the boat in the harbor of Port Said.

Accident

In the early morning of August 14, 2013 broke during the night shift a fire on board of which a heavy explosion triggered after about two hours, which damaged the pressure hull of the boat. Thus, water penetrated into the hull and the submarine sank to its mooring on the at this point seven meters deep harbor due to the naval dockyard in Mumbai. The 18 crew members on board were killed. Until September 11, 2013 12 bodies were recovered.

The boat is to be lifted by commercial salvage companies. For this purpose, a global tender was initiated.