A sailor is missing after a fire broke out aboard the Navy's multi-role frigate INS Brahmaputra at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. The incident occurred on the evening of July 21, while the ship was undergoing a refit. The fire was brought under control by the ship's crew with assistance from dockyard firefighters and other ships in the harbour by the morning of July 22. Follow-up actions, including sanitization checks to assess any residual fire risk, were carried out.
“A fire had broken out on board Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, on the evening of July 21 while she was undergoing refit at Naval Dockyard Mumbai,” an official release said.
“The fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew with the assistance of fire fighters from the dockyard and other ships in harbour, by the morning of July 22. Further follow-on actions, including sanitisation checks for assessment of the residual risk of fire, were carried out,” it said.
Naval chief briefs Defence Minister
Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, informed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about the fire that broke out onboard Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra and the subsequent damages, according to the Defence Ministry.
Severe listing of the ship
On the afternoon of July 22, the ship experienced severe listing to one side (port side). Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to an upright position and continued to list further alongside her berth, ultimately resting on one side.
Search and inquiry
All personnel have been accounted for except one junior sailor, for whom the search is ongoing. The Indian Navy has ordered an inquiry to investigate the accident.
About INS Brahmaputra
INS Brahmaputra, the first of the indigenously built ‘Brahmaputra’ class guided missile frigates, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 14, 2000. The ship has a displacement of 5,300 tonnes, a length of 125 meters, a beam of 14.4 meters, and is capable of speeds exceeding 27 knots. It is equipped with a range of armaments, including medium-range, close-range, and anti-aircraft guns, as well as surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles and torpedo launchers. The ship also features a wide array of sensors for various maritime warfare operations and can operate Seaking and Chetak helicopters, allowing it to perform roles such as coastal and offshore patrolling, monitoring sea lines of communication, maritime diplomacy, counter-terrorism, and anti-piracy operations.
The ship's name, 'Brahmaputra,' is derived from the famous river in northeastern India. Its crest features a grey one-horned Indian rhinoceros native to the Brahmaputra valley, symbolizing the ship's indomitable spirit. The ship's war cry, "Dushman ko Khatra, Jab aage Brahmaputra," meaning "the enemy faces grave danger when Brahmaputra leads the fray," embodies this spirit.
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