Indian Navy’s warship INS Brahmaputra severely damaged in fire, sailor missing

Indian Navy’s frontline guided missile frigate INS Brahmaputra sustained severe damage and tilted heavily to one side following a fire onboard the ship while it was undergoing refit at the naval dockyard in Mumbai.

One junior sailor went missing following the fire on Sunday evening and rescue operations are going on to trace him, Navy officials said, adding the warship is now resting on her left side.

Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday apprised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about the fire incident and the damages caused to the ship. Singh’s office said the defence minister prayed for the safety of the missing sailor and that he directed the Navy chief to take “appropriate action”.

INS Brahmaputra is the first of the indigenously built ‘Brahmaputra’ class-guided missile frigates and it was commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2000.

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The nearly 3,600-tonne ship is fitted with an array of weapons including surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, medium-range guns, anti-submarine rockets, radars, sonars and state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems.

“A fire had broken out onboard Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra, a multi-role Frigate, on the evening of July 21 while she was undergoing refit at the naval dockyard,” the Navy said.

It said the fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew with the assistance of firefighters from the dockyard and other ships in the harbour by this morning. “Further, follow-on actions including sanitisation checks for assessment of residual risk of fire were carried out,” it said.

“Subsequently, in the afternoon, the ship experienced severe listing to one side (port side). Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to the upright position,” it said. “The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side,” the Navy said in a statement.

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It said all personnel have been accounted for except one junior sailor, for whom the search is in progress. An inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Navy to investigate the matter.

INS Brahmaputra has a length of 125 metres, a beam of 14.4 metres and is capable of sailing at a speed of 30 knots. The ship, when it sails, is manned by a crew of 40 officers and 360 sailors. Navy Chief Admiral Tripathi briefed the defence minister on the fire incident.

“Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has apprised RM Shri @rajnathsingh of the fire breakout onboard Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra and the damages caused by the incident,” Singh’s office said on ‘X’.

“RM prays for the safety of missing sailor. RM Shri @rajnathsingh has directed the Navy Chief to take appropriate action,” it said.

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