The mishap on-board INS Ranvir, one of the oldest warships in the Navy, in which three were killed and 11 suffered injuries on Tuesday, was likely due to the leakage of Freon in an unmanned air conditioning compartment, sources have told CNN News18.
While nobody was present in the internal compartment at the time of the blast, the three sailors who lost their lives were in the mess on the floor above the compartment.
The blast led to a lot of debris and the three sailors on the deck got stuck under it, sources said.
“The blast is clearly not ammunition-related. The entire crew of the ship, which is in Naval Dockyard, was present on-board. INS Ranvir was here for a long time, as she had come for cross-coast operational deployment from the Eastern Naval Command,” a source said.
“Some people fell to the ground while they were running, trying to douse the fire. Some inhaled the gas. The injuries are minor. Physical injuries are in the form of fractures to the ankle. Some have suffered minor internal injuries as well. They are likely due to the inhalation of Freon,” sources told CNN News18 exclusively.
The Navy has not yet officially released the names of the deceased and the injured. The families of the deceased have been informed, sources said.
“We are looking closely into the matter. There are several operational issues on-board a warship. Several lines – air conditioning gas, ammunition and water supply – run parallel through a ship. Unlike other vehicles, warships can’t be shut during operations. We are looking at all these operational things. The incident is highly unfortunate,” a top official said on condition of anonymity.
INS Ranvir was to return to the Eastern Naval Command shortly. “A Board of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause,” a statement released by the Indian Navy stated.
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