Indian Scorpene Submarine Collides with Fishing Boat: Two Missing, 11 Rescued

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – One of the Indian Navy’s most advanced submarines has collided with a local fishing boat, leaving two local fishermen missing and 11 others rescued so far.

A large-scale search and rescue operation is currently underway off India’s west coast following the incident.

Although details of the incident remain scarce, both the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have confirmed the search and rescue operation, which is being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai.

In a brief statement, the Indian Navy announced that 11 crew members from the fishing vessel had been rescued, while two remain unaccounted for.

Six Indian Navy ships and aircraft are involved in the search, with additional assets, including Indian Coast Guard resources, diverted to strengthen the effort.

The collision reportedly occurred on November 21 in the late afternoon or evening, approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Goa, a state located south of Mumbai along India’s west coast facing the Arabian Sea.

According to the Indian Navy, the fishing vessel, identified as “Marthoma,” collided with the submarine while it was transiting along the western coastline.

The Indian Navy’s submarine fleet is known to have a base near Mumbai.

Media reports have identified the submarine involved in the incident as one of India’s six Scorpene-class submarines, among the newest and most advanced in its fleet.

These diesel-electric submarines displace approximately 1,600 tons and measure 221 feet (67.5 meters) in length.

They are domestically built based on a design by France’s Naval Group, with the first submarine commissioned in 2017. India recently announced plans to construct three more submarines of this class.

While the submarine involved in the collision has not been officially identified, media sources claim it sustained only minor damage and resumed its transit after the search and rescue operation commenced.

The Indian Navy has launched a “high-level investigation” into the circumstances of the incident.

At the time of the collision, the submarine was reportedly operating just below the surface, with only its periscope visible above water—likely to facilitate the operation of its onboard engines, which require fresh air intake.

Such maneuvers are referred to in naval terminology as “periscope depth” operations.

Authorities are still determining whether the fishing vessel was equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS), a tracking device that is mandatory for vessels 20 meters or longer.

This requirement was introduced following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The AIS allows the Navy to monitor the movements of vessels, enhancing maritime security and situational awareness. — DSA