MUMBAI: An Indian naval officer was killed and “some” dock workers were injured on Friday in a gas leak aboard a yet-to-be commissioned naval ship, the defence ministry said.

The accident was the 11th involving a naval vessel in the past 11 months.

“Commander Kuntal Wadhwa has died,” Commander Rahul Sinha, chief defence ministry spokesman, said. Indian media reports said that the officer died after inhaling large amounts of toxic gas.

A statement by the defence ministry said “some” dock workers were injured but did not say how many or disclose the nature of the injuries.

The accident occurred aboard the ship called Yard 701 by its builders, the Mazagaon Dock Ltd, in Mumbai, headquarters of India's Western Naval Command.

The ship was undergoing trials at the Mumbai Port Trust when its carbon dioxide unit developed a problem, causing the gas leakage and injuries, the defence ministry said in the statement.—AFP