The Indian national flag, seen at the Indian Navy's western Naval Command in Mumbai in December 2009.

Three Indian Navy personnel were killed in an explosion on a ship at a naval dockyard in Mumbai on Tuesday, the navy said.

It gave no reason for the blast but said a board of inquiry would investigate.

“The ship’s crew responded immediately and quickly brought the situation under control. No major material damage has been reported,” the navy said in a statement.

The explosion happened in an internal compartment on board a naval vessel, Ranvir, which had been on operational deployment from the Eastern Naval Command since November and was due to return to base port shortly, the statement said.