The Nerpa, a Russian Akula class nuclear attack submarine, suffered an accident in its fire-suppression system this weekend. The release of fire extinguishing material killed 20 and injured numerous others. The boat, only recently launched, was carrying a large contingent of civilian technicians. Although none of the dead appear to be Indian citizens, it is believed that a contingent of Indians were on board at the time of the accident, as India has contracted to lease Nerpa from Russia.
This is approximately the umpteenth deadly Russian submarine accident. The most disastrous in recent memory was the loss of the Kursk, which in 2000 suffered an explosion following a torpedo malfunction. That accident killed 118 sailors. This accident raises additional concerns about the wisdom of deploying aging Russian naval assets all over the globe, including the current expedition of the nuclear-powered battlecruiser Peter the Great to Venezuela.
--Robert Farley
