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| A Kilo class Submarine (File Photo) |
MUMBAI — Malfunctioning and aging batteries were the likely cause of fire on an Indian submarine that left two dead this week, reports said Friday, amid warnings that the navy is "on the verge of breakdown".
Wednesday's accident on board the Russian-built INS Sindhuratna, the latest in a string of naval mishaps, left seven crew members injured, while two bodies were found after the stricken submarine docked in Mumbai on Thursday.
While the vessel had undergone a refit earlier this year, the batteries that powered it underwater had not been replaced because of contracting delays, The Hindu daily said, citing "highly placed navy sources".
The newspaper said hydrogen leaking from the batteries was thought to have caused the explosion.
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