February 21, 2012 - 16:04 AMT
Russian nuke submarine to arrive in India late March

A Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine, the K-152 Nerpa, which has been leased to the Indian Navy, will arrive in the country on March 30-31, a source in the Indian Defense Ministry reported, according to RIA Novosti.

“We expect the submarine to arrive in India on March 30-31,” the source said. The sub is currently en route, bound for the port of Visakhapatnam, he said.

The Nerpa, an Akula II-class attack submarine, had originally been scheduled for delivery to India in 2008. However, that date was moved back after twenty people, mostly civilians, died during sea trials earlier that year when a fire-suppressant gas was accidentally released on the sub.