Taken steps to enhance safety, says Navy

After accidents involving some submarines caused concern, the Indian Navy Monday said it had taken several measures to enhance safety of its vessels including extensive checks of weapon systems and audit of the standard operating procedures.

"Post recent incidents onboard submarines, safety stand-downs were ordered and extensive checks on weapon related safety systems and audit of standard operating procedures on all operational submarines were ordered," a Navy release said.

It said that any incident was thoroughly investigated to not just identify any errors, but to address critical areas on material and training related aspects.

"The analysis of all incidents is also being promulgated to the concerned training establishments and operational authorities for further dissemination of corrective measures," it said.

"As an added step, Naval Headquarters directed conduct of safety 'stand-down' and a one-time safety audits prior operational deployment of any ship or submarine. This has since been institutionalised as a regular annual audit for all operational units," it said.

The navy said it is seized of the fact that safety of men and material is vital and is a necessary component of any armed forces organisation.

"The observance of 'safety first, safety always' is, therefore, intended to strengthen the professional approach to enhance combat capability and to facilitate conduct of naval operations with the desired elan," it added.

Naval vessels have suffered 10 accidents in the past seven months.

Two Navy personnel were killed and seven were injured after smoke filled a compartment in the INS Sindhuratna submarine that was underwater last week.