INS Brahmaputra Severely Damaged In Fire, Lying On Its Side; Sailor Missing

In Mumbai/New Delhi, today, an Indian Navy warship undergoing maintenance at the naval dockyard in Mumbai was engulfed in flames. The navy reported that a junior sailor is currently missing, while all other personnel have been safely located. The fire erupted aboard the multirole frigate INS Brahmaputra on Sunday evening during its refit at the Mumbai naval dockyard, causing the ship to tilt on its side.

The navy stated that the ship’s crew, aided by firefighters from the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai and other ships in the harbor, managed to bring the fire under control by Monday morning. Despite these efforts, the ship began listing to one side, and despite attempts to stabilize it, it continued to lean alongside its berth, now resting on one side. The navy has initiated a search for the missing junior sailor and has launched an inquiry to investigate the incident.

INS Brahmaputra, the first of the ‘Brahmaputra’ class guided missile frigate built indigenously, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2000.

Manned by a crew of 40 officers and 330 sailors, the ship is equipped with various armaments, including guns, missiles, and torpedo launchers, along with an array of sensors for maritime warfare operations and the capability to deploy Seaking and Chetak helicopters.