*Sources: Defense Media News / AFP
(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - June 12, 2009: A Russian nuclear submarine in which 20 died in a toxic gas accident will be leased to India later this year, Interfax news agency reported Wednesday, citing a Russian military source.
The K-152 Nerpa accident was an incident that occurred aboard the Russian submarine K-152 Nerpa on 8 November 2008, which resulted in the deaths of 20 people and injuries to 41 more. Three of the dead were military personnel and the rest were civilians from the Vostok, Zvezda, Era and Amur shipbuilding yards who were members of the acceptance team. The deaths and injuries were caused by an unsanctioned release of fire suppressant gas during a submerged test run during the vessel's sea trials in the Sea of Japan. The Nerpa itself was not damaged by the incident, which was the worst Russian submarine disaster since the Kursk sank in 2000.
"Immediately after the completion of all tests, the vessel will be given to the active-duty fleet of the Russian navy, after which its handover under lease to our Indian partners will take place," he was quoted as saying.
"This is expected to take place before the end of this year," he told Interfax, which identified him as a source in the Russian naval command. A navy spokesman declined to confirm the report.
The vessel in question is the attack submarine Nerpa, which was undergoing trials in the Sea of Japan in November when it suffered an accident that killed 20 sailors and shipyard workers and injured 22, Interfax said.
The accident -- in which the submarine's fire-fighting system went off, filling it with a toxic gas -- was the latest in a string of tragedies to hit Russia's submarine fleet in recent years.
State media said at the time that the Nerpa was to be delivered to India, under a deal in which New Delhi would pay Moscow two billion dollars for two submarines with an option to buy them when the lease runs out.
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