Leakage of toxic fumes kills 2 on board Vikramaditya

Two civilian workers died and two naval sailors are getting treated after gas leak on board Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikramaditya, India's latest Russian-made aircraft carrier, at Karwar on Friday evening.

"An incident of gas leakage on board INS Vikramaditya took place about 5pm on Friday, whilst the ship was undergoing maintenance repairs at Karwar. Maintenance work was being undertaken in the sewage treatment plant compartment," said a naval officer.

Due to inhalation of toxic fumes, four persons – two naval sailors and two civilian workers – were evacuated to Naval Hospital at Karwar.

The two deceased are Rakesh Kumar and Mohandas Kolambkar.

"The next of kin of the deceased have been informed. The condition of the other two personnel is stable," informed a naval spokesperson.

The Navy has ordered an inquiry into the incident. INS Vikramaditya is India's largest naval ship and equipped with a variety of integral weapons and sensors and it was undergoing maintenance repair since June 1.

This is the third incident pertaining to the Navy to happen this year, the previous two being fire on soon-to-be decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat in March, which resulted in the death of a chief engineer mechanic and the injury of three others.

Prior to it, in April, a sailor lost his leg while two others were injured in an oxygen cylinder explosion on board INS Nireekshak. The ship was on its way to Mumbai from Visakhapatnam.