MUMBAI (Agencies): A fire broke out aboard the Indian Navy frigate INS Brahmaputra, resulting in severe damage to the vessel and leaving one sailor missing. The incident occurred while the ship was undergoing routine maintenance at the Mumbai Naval Dockyard.
The fire was extinguished by Sunday afternoon, but the ship began to list to port and eventually partially capsized at the pier, with its mast resting on the quayside. The accumulation of firefighting water is suspected to have compromised the ship’s stability.
“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 accident,” the Indian Navy stated.
INS Brahmaputra, a multirole frigate built in 2000, is equipped for air defense and surface warfare and can accommodate shipboard helicopters for antisubmarine operations.
This marks the third serious incident at the Mumbai Naval Dockyard in a decade. In 2013, the Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak caught fire, exploded, and sank, resulting in 18 fatalities. In 2016, the frigate INS Betwa fell off its support blocks during refloating, killing two and injuring 15. Betwa was later salvaged and returned to service in 2020.