In a sordid development, a fire quickly engulfed the Indian Navy’s multi-role frigate INS Brahmaputra at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Sunday evening when it was undergoing refit. The Indian Navy issued an official release to this effect, adding that the crew of the ship, along with firefighters of the Naval Dockyard and other nearby ships, were finally able to douse the fire by Monday morning.
Nonetheless, the process of righting the ship was unsuccessful, and it still leans increasingly alongside the quay, currently half submerged on the side. Sadly, a junior sailor is said to have been missing in the water after the mishap, and a search is being conducted to find him/her.
The Indian Navy, being a professional navy, has initiated an inquiry into the accident. Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff, has reported the mishap and its effects to the Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh. The Minister has no problem and has extended his concern as well as prayed to God to protect the missing sailor.
This particular event highlights the dangers and odds confronting the Indian Navy and its attempt to sustain its fighting force, which entails refit and overall maintenance.
The most probable areas of concentration of the investigation will likely aim to identify the cause of the fire outbreak and factors that resulted in the ship’s getting into this precarious state, aiming to avoid similar incidences in the future.
As the search for the body of the disappeared sailor goes on, the nation supports the Indian Navy and families of the tragedy victims.
