In a troubling development for the Indian Navy, one of its Scorpene-class submarines collided with a fishing vessel off the coast of Goa on the evening of November 21. 

The collision occurred approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Goa at around 9:30 PM while the submarine was in transit between two ports.

The fishing vessel Marthoma was carrying 13 people at the time of the incident. In a late-night statement, the Indian Navy confirmed the collision and assured the public that immediate rescue operations were launched. 

A search and rescue mission was quickly initiated, involving six naval ships and multiple surveillance aircraft. According to the Navy, 11 of the 13 crew members onboard Marthoma were rescued immediately after the collision. 

However, two individuals are still missing, and search operations continue. The mission is being coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai, and additional assets have been deployed to the area to support the operation. 

The submarine involved in the collision is part of India’s Scorpene-class fleet, a highly advanced and stealthy class of submarines capable of executing a wide range of critical naval functions. 

These include anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine-laying, and area surveillance. The Scorpene-class vessels are known for their superior stealth technology and low noise levels, which contribute to their effectiveness as precise and deadly weapons in naval operations.

The full details of the accident remain unclear. Naval headquarters is awaiting the submarine’s arrival at its destination to thoroughly assess any potential damage to the vessel and determine the causes behind the collision.

This incident has dealt another blow to the Indian Navy’s reputation. In July 2024, the 410-foot guided missile frigate INS Brahmaputra made headlines after it caught fire and partially sank in port.

Collisions between military and civilian vessels are not entirely unprecedented. In fact, this latest incident is not the first time an Indian Navy submarine has been involved in a collision with a fishing boat. 

In 2015, the Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhughosh, collided with a fishing vessel off the western coast. The incident resulted in minor damage to the submarine’s periscope. 

In January 2008, the Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarine, INS Sindhughosh, collided with the foreign merchant vessel MV Leeds Castle while attempting to surface in waters north of Mumbai. 

The accident occurred during fleet-level war games, and the Navy described it as a minor incident. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the collision, which did not result in major damage to either vessel.

In August 2024, a collision between an Indian fishing boat and a Sri Lankan naval vessel off the coast of Tamil Nadu resulted in the drowning of one fisherman. 

Early this month, a US nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Virginia, also found itself entangled in fishing nets off the coast of Norway, requiring a coast guard vessel to assist in freeing it.

USS Greeneville And Ehime Maru Collision 

Incidents involving collisions between nuclear-powered submarines and fishing vessels are not uncommon, with submarines from the US, Russia, and Britain having been involved in similar occurrences over the years. 

However, one of the most devastating accidents of this nature occurred in 2001, when the US Navy’s USS Greeneville collided with the Japanese fishery high-school training ship Ehime Maru, resulting in tragic consequences. 

On February 9, 2001, the USS Greeneville, a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine, was conducting a demonstration for VIP civilian guests off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. 

The submarine performed an emergency surfacing maneuver known as a ballast blow, which involves expelling water from its ballast tanks to propel the vessel to the surface rapidly. 

Unfortunately, as the submarine surged to the surface, it collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishery training vessel used by high school students from Ehime Prefecture for educational purposes.

Within minutes of the collision, the Ehime Maru sank, taking nine lives with it. Among the victims were four high school students, two teachers, and three crew members, all of whom drowned in the cold Pacific waters.

The survivors, including 26 others on board, were left stranded as their vessel quickly disappeared beneath the waves.

The incident triggered widespread outrage in Japan, especially after it was revealed that civilian visitors had been present in Greeneville’s control room at the time of the accident. There was a strong perception that the submarine’s crew had failed to adequately assist the Ehime Maru survivors following the collision. 

In the face of public outcry, the US Navy launched a court of inquiry to investigate the accident. The inquiry found Commander Waddle and his crew responsible for the collision. 

As a result, Waddle and several other crew members faced non-judicial punishment and administrative disciplinary actions. Although the possibility of a court-martial was discussed, the US Navy ultimately decided against it, opting instead to allow Waddle to retire with an honorable discharge.

Navy investigation into the USS Greenville accident revealed that the submarine’s captain had rushed through mandatory safety procedures while conducting an emergency surfacing drill, specifically for the benefit of civilians touring the vessel.  

In a gesture of goodwill, the US Navy took steps to respond to the concerns of the Japanese government and the families of the victims. 

In October 2001, the Navy successfully raised the wreckage of the Ehime Maru from the ocean floor. It moved it to shallower waters near Oahu, where US and Japanese divers were able to retrieve the remains of eight of the nine victims. The wreck was then returned to deep waters and scuttled.

Additionally, the US Navy provided compensation to the survivors of the Ehime Maru and the families of the deceased. In December 2002, Commander Waddle personally traveled to Japan to offer his heartfelt apologies to the families of the victims and the survivors. 

The incident has become a key case study in the Navy’s training programs. It teaches prospective submarine officers the critical importance of adhering to safety protocols. 

The Sinking Of FV Antares

Another such incident occurred in November 1990, when the British trawler Antares sank after its fishing gear got entangled in the Royal Navy’s Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Trenchant.

This tragic collision claimed the lives of four crew members and sparked a reevaluation of naval protocols regarding submarine operations near fishing vessels.

On November 21, 1990, HMS Trenchant was conducting a routine training exercise near the Isle of Arran, Scotland. The submarine was operating in waters populated with fishing vessels, and despite its sonar systems detecting nearby boats, Trenchant inadvertently snagged the trawl line of the Antares.

The impact of the collision caused the Antares to capsize and sink, tragically killing four of its five crew members. The crew aboard Trenchant initially heard loud scraping sounds and felt the submarine jolt, prompting them to surface. 

Upon inspection, they found part of the Antares’ trawl net wrapped around the submarine’s hull, with trawl wires still entangled. The submarine crew attempted to contact the nearby fishing vessels via radio but received no response. 

At that point, the nearby trawlers appeared to be continuing their work, and the crew of Trenchant assumed that the collision was minor. HMS Trenchant resumed its training exercises and submerged again, continuing with its Perisher course, a rigorous submarine training program.

It wasn’t until Trenchant returned to port that the full extent of the damage became clear. Upon inspection, it was revealed that the submarine’s sonar dome had been significantly damaged, confirming the vessel’s involvement in the collision. 

The news of the submarine collision quickly spread among the fishermen of the Firth of Clyde, and it was discovered that the fishing trawler Antares had failed to return to shore or dock at any port. 

A large-scale search operation was initiated to locate the Antares, and floating oil and fish boxes were found near the trawler’s last known location. The sonar of one of the search vessels detected an uncharted wreck on the seabed, which was later confirmed to be the Antares. 

In the days that followed, the wreck was raised, and the bodies of three of the crew members were recovered. A fourth crew member’s remains were found the following year when the body was brought up in the net of another trawler fishing in the same area.