NEW DELHI, Jul 22 : Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday apprised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about an incident of fire onboard India’s frontline warship INS Brahmaputra at the Mumbai naval dockyard that significantly damaged the frigate.
According to the Navy, a junior sailor is missing following the fire incident on Sunday evening and rescue teams are trying to trace him.
“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’.
It said the defence minister prayed for the safety of the missing sailor and that he directed the Navy chief to take “appropriate action”.
The ship was undergoing refit at the dockyard.
“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 assistance of firefighters from the dockyard and other ships in 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.
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, the statement said. (PTI)
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