3 injured in cylinder blast on naval ship

A sailor lost a leg and two of his colleagues injured when an oxygen cylinder exploded aboard diving support ship INS Nireekshak. The ship was around 40 nautical miles (75km) from Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala when the cylinder burst while being refilled.

THE BLAST TOOK PLACE WHILE A DIVING BAILOUT BOTTLE WAS BEING CHARGED. ONE OF THE INJURED HAD TO GET HIS LEG AMPUTATED

MUMBAI: A sailor lost his leg while two others were injured in an oxygen cylinder explosion on board an Indian naval ship on Saturday.

The incident occurred on April 16 on board INS Nireekshak and the navy, which had remained tight-lipped till now, has ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The explosion took place while a diving bailout bottle, a small 12-inch oxygen bottle that is carried by divers in their diving helmet, was being charged, a navy official said.

He said that such an incident has never happened in the history of Indian Navy.

“The explosion happened while the crew was working on the deck of the ship,” he said.

Three sailors were injured, including one who sustained serious injuries and his right leg has been amputated from just above the knee.

Two other sailors received splinter injuries in and around the stomach and legs.

They were admitted to the Military Hospital, Trivandrum as the ship was on its way to Mumbai from Visakhapatnam.

The sailors were reportedly in a stable condition and have now been shifted to Mumbai.