The mysterious sinking of the Ghazi: a naval enigma of the 1971 war

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1971, the Pakistan Navy's flagship submarine, the Ghazi, vanished near India's eastern coast. While the Indian Navy claims they sank the vessel with a destroyer, Pakistani reviews suggest an internal explosion or accidental mine detonation. This remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the conflict.

Formerly known as the USS Diablo (SS-479), the Tench-class diesel-electric submarine Ghazi operated within the United States Navy between 1945 and 1963. Leased to Pakistan in 1963 under the Security Assistance Program, it became the first fast-attack submarine in the Pakistan Navy. Despite its reputation, some naval historians described the vessel as an unarmed "clockwork mouse" used for training, noting it was largely unmodernized when it joined Pakistani service. The vessel was originally sponsored by the wife of a US Navy Captain. It was first commissioned at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in March 1945.

The submarine's history is marked by significant operational feats and controversies. In 1968, due to the closure of the Suez Canal following the Six-Day War, the Ghazi completed a two-month submerged circumnavigation of Africa and southern Europe to reach the Gölcük Naval Shipyard in Turkey for refitting. This mid-life update, which included upgrading military computers, reportedly cost approximately $1.5 million. During its long voyage, the submarine stopped at several locations including Mombasa, Luanda, and Toulon. It also visited Simon's Town and İzmir during this period.

The circumstances of its disappearance during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war remain highly contested. The Indian Navy credits the sinking to the destroyer INS Rajput. Conversely, Pakistani military reviews concluded the submarine likely succumbed to an internal explosion or the accidental detonation of Mk.14 or Mk.10 mines while operating near Visakhapatnam harbour. The mystery deepened in 2010 when it was revealed that the Indian Navy had destroyed all records of their investigations into the matter in 1980. The submarine was under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Yousaf Raza during its final deployment. It was specifically searching for the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant during the conflict.

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