All 18 sailors dead in submarine fire: Indian Navy

A view of the flames from the burning Indian Navy submarine INS Sindhurakshak in Mumbai late August 13, 2013. An explosion on the Indian submarine on Wednesday killed crew members, India's defence minister said. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW DELHI -- The Indian Navy Friday said that the recovery of three dead bodies out of 18 sailors trapped inside INS Sindhuraksak submarine, which was gutted in a fire following multiple explosions and sank at Mumbai port Wednesday, clearly indicated no chances of survival for anyone inside the Russia-made vessel.

The conditions of the three dead bodies recovered by naval divers indicated that the possibility of anyone being alive on board the submarine is next to impossible, the Indian Navy said, adding that the bodies were charred beyond recognition and have been sent for DNA examination.

However, recue operations are still on to recover 15 more sailors still missing in the tragedy, the Navy said.

The submarine, which sank at Mumbai port, was recently renovated at 80 million US dollars in Russia.