INS Brahmaputra damaged in Mumbai fire, search on to locate missing sailor

The fire was detected by the ship’s duty staff while carrying out routine maintenance work onboard the ship. The blaze was brought under control by the ship’s crew with the assistance of firefighters from Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard and others on Monday morning itself.

The ship continued to list further alongside her berth since Monday afternoon and is now resting on the side, the Navy said, adding that an inquiry into the fire incident is underway.

“Follow-on actions including sanitisation checks for the assessment of residual risk of fire have also been carried out,” the Navy said in a statement. “Despite all efforts, the ship, however, could not be brought to the upright position. The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side.”

Built by state-run Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, INS Brahmaputra is the first of the indigenously built Brahmaputra-class guided missile frigates that was commissioned into the Navy in 2000. With a length and beam of 125 metres and 14.4 metres, respectively, INS Brahmaputra has a displacement of 5,300 tonnes, and is capable of speed in excess of 27 knots.

Both INS Beas and INS Betwa — also named after rivers — are other ships in this class.

The Indian Express had reported that the Navy, in collaboration with the government-owned Cochin Shipyard Limited, began the conversion process of the propulsion system of INS Beas from steam to diesel early April. Once successful, there were plans to convert INS Brahmaputra and INS Betwa from steam to diesel propulsion to enhance their life, maintenance support and capability.