A fire onboard the Indian Navy’s Sindhughosh Class diesel-electric submarine INS Sidhurakshak at Visakhapatnam on the Indian east coast has killed a sailor and left two others injured.

The explosion took place in the battery compartment of the vessel when it was docked at the naval base for a routine maintenance.

A senior navy official said a board of inquiry has been ordered to find out the exact reason behind the explosion. The submarine did not suffer major damage.

The submarine is expected to be out of action for a month while the damage caused by the fire is repaired.