KHABAROVSK, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident during previous tests, resumed sea trials on Friday in the Sea of Japan, a spokesperson for the Amur shipyard said.

"The Nerpa nuclear submarine...has left a repair facility in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in the Primorye Territory and is headed for a series of sea trials," Marina Radayeva said.

On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials in the Sea of Japan, its on-board fire suppression system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, on board the vessel at the time.

Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles (about $60 mln), the submarine was cleared for final sea trials before being commissioned with the Russian Navy and leased to the Indian Navy by the end of 2009.

India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

Akula II class vessels are considered the quietest and deadliest of all Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines.