Technical failure not the cause for submarine fire: Russia

Navy divers have found five bodies from the mangled remains of the submarine, INS Sindhurakshak. As rescue operations continue, Russia has defended the submarine saying they don't see any technical failure as the likely cause behind the incident. Russia has also offered help in the probe.

Also Read: Bodies of four INS Sindhurakshak sailors recovered

Of the five bodies found on Friday, one is that of Jiju Lawrence who had accompanied the submarine to Russia for refitting. The other four recovered bodies are charred beyond recognition and have been sent for DNA identification.

The Navy has said that there is little chance of any of the remaining 13 sailors on board to have survived. "The damage and the destruction within the submarine around the control room area indicate that the feasibility of locating bodies of the personnel in the forward part of the submarine is also very remote as the explosion and very high temperatures, which melted steel within, would have incinerated the bodies too," a release from the Navy said.

"The state of the bodies and condition within the submarine leads to firm conclusion that finding any surviving personnel within the submarine is unlikely," it said. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case of accidental death in connection with the worst peacetime tragedy suffered by the Navy.

The case has been registered under section 174 CrPC relating to accidental death on the basis of a statement by Gopal Singh Rajput, a doctor attached with Sindhurakshak.

Boiling water inside the submarine had thwarted all attempts by rescuers at entering the ill-fated Russian-made submarine till Wednesday.