Three killed in explosion involving submersible repair

SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- An explosion involving a submersible undergoing repair at a southern port city left three killed and one injured, South Korea's military said Tuesday.

"At around 8:30 a.m. this morning, there was an explosion inside a small submarine that was being repaired at a naval base in Jinhae, 410 kilometers south of Seoul," a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said.

The ministry said gas trapped inside the submersible went off when the hatch of the submersible was opened.

Authorities did not give details on what type of ship was involved in the accident.

The submersible has been docked at the naval port since May. Naval personnel were testing the equipment prior to starting full-scale repairs when the explosion took place, the official said.

The ministry said the Navy will soon begin an investigation to find out what exactly caused the accident.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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