The Indian Navy’s warship INS Brahmaputra was severely damaged following a fire at Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard. The multi role frigate, which was undergoing refit, experienced a severe listing to its port side after the fire incident.
The fire broke out on the evening of July 21 and was brought under control by the ship’s crew, with assistance from firefighters from the Naval Dockyard and other ships in the harbor, by the morning of July 22. Follow-up actions, including sanitization checks to assess any residual fire risks, were conducted.
Despite these efforts, the ship began listing significantly to its port side in the afternoon. Attempts to restore the ship to an upright position were unsuccessful, and it is currently resting on one side at its berth.
In a statement, the Indian Navy confirmed that two people were killed and 14 were injured in the accident. The ship was righted after two months by a US company contracted by the Indian Navy. Also, one junior sailor, for whom a search is ongoing. An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 14, 2000, INS Brahmaputra is the first of the indigenously built ‘Brahmaputra’ class guided missile frigates. The ship has a displacement of 5,300 tonnes, a length of 125 meters, a beam of 14.4 meters, and can achieve speeds in excess of 27 knots. It is equipped with medium range, close range, and anti-aircraft guns, as well as surface to surface and surface to air missiles and torpedo launchers.
