INS Vikramaditya. File photo

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 10

A sailor and a civilian worker were killed on Friday in a toxic gas leak on board the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier.

The warship was undergoing maintenance work at the Karwar naval base, located just south of Goa, when the incident occurred at 5 pm today.

The maintenance work was being undertaken in the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) compartment. Due to the inhalation of toxic fumes, four personnel — two sailors and two civilian workers — were evacuated to Naval Hospital at Karwar.

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Later, Rakesh Kumar, Shipwright Artificer Class 4 of the Indian Navy, and Mohandas Kolambkar, an employee of Messers Royal Marine, died in the hospital. The next of kin of the deceased have been informed.

The condition of the other two personnel is stable. The Navy has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Action has been taken to render the compartment and area on the ship safe.

The Vikramaditya built by Russia had joined the Indian fleet in November 2013.