Mumbai/New Delhi, March 7
A Commander (Lt Col equivalent) of the Navy died in an accident on board under-trial Kolkata-class warship INS Kolkata today while four civilian employees of the Mazagon Docks Limited were injured. The mishap occurred around 12.45 pm.

There was carbon dioxide leak on the warship. The gas is used as a fire retardant. As soon as the gas leak was noticed, Commander Kunal Wadhwa (42), a 1997-batch officer, and others tried to escape. Wadhwa reportedly fell into the engine as inhaling of carbon dioxide had rendered him unconscious.

Naval officials have not so far confirmed reports that the gas leak may have been caused due to an explosion. “Yard-701 (as INS Kolkata is known prior to its commissioning) had a malfunction, leading to gas leakage. One naval officer and some MDL personnel have been hospitalised,” the Navy said in a statement earlier in the day. The officer subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

An injured MDL employee has been identified as Aslam Kazi, 51. He is admitted to the ICU of a private hospital.

The accident has raised questions on the quality of material being used for building warships. MDL spokesperson Parvez Panthaky said, “During machinery trials, a malfunction in warship’s carbon dioxide unit lead to gas leakage.”