Navy lacks rescue vehicle to save submarine crew

HYDERABAD: Amidst the spate of incidents involving submarines, a grim fact has come to the fore: Indian Navy does not have a single Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV). The navy had acquired one such vessel when it possessed only four submarines in 1971. But the vessel was decommissioned in 1989. Since then, the Indian Navy has not been able to procure a single DSRV even though the number of submarines in its fleet has increased.

DSRVs like INS Nistar, the only one that figured in the Indian Navy's fleet so far, have the capability of rescuing the crew of a disabled submarine by using a wet or a dry escape method, avoiding the problems associated with decompression.

In the event of an accident where the submarine is unable to surface, an attempt is made to bring her to the surface with the assistance of ships and divers, failing which, the only alternative is for the crew to escape from the rescue vessel.

The 'wet' method is where the sailors escape crawling through the torpedo tube through one of the hatches, wearing diving or escape suits, possible only at a depth of around 100 meters. The 'dry' method is where a 'rescue bell' 'mates' with the submarine, i.e., sits on top of the escape hatch and the sailors enter it from the afflicted submarine.

According to Commander (retired) Sudarshan Chakrapani who served on submarines of the class as INS Sindhurakshak and INS Sindhuratna (both of which witnessed mishaps during the last few weeks), said the Indian Navy's submarine arm came into existence on December 8, 1967, in Riga, USSR, with the commissioning of INS Kalveri. Four years later, the Indian Navy acquired the submarine rescue vessel INS Nistar. "In 1971, the rescue vessel was inducted in the Indian Navy when we had just 4 submarines. Today, we have many more submarines, but not a single rescue vessel," he said.

The search for a new submarine rescue vessel commenced after INS Nistar was pensioned off in 1989. However, 25 years later, the search is still on, said Chakrapani. For a 'make-do' solution till such a vessel is inducted, the diving tender Nireekshak, which has the all-important diving bell that enables rescue of sailors succeeded her. However, INS Nireeshak has its own limitations. The Indian Navy, therefore is without any 'worthwhile' method to rescue sailors onboard a sunken submarine, said Commander Chakrapani.

In a development that perhaps comes a little too late vis-a-vis the recent mishaps, a senior naval official claimed that the ministry of defence after the August 2013 mishap of INS Sindhurakshak (which had claimed 18 lives) cleared the proposal for procuring two Deep Submergence Rescue Vessels at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

via Times of India

Indian Navy , Navy Accidents , rescue vehicle , Submarine , No comments