Indian warship INS Vindhyagiri, which was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel on Sunday afternoon, nearly sank in its berth in the naval dockyard after catching fire late in the night.
Indian warship INS Vindhyagiri, which was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel on Sunday afternoon, nearly sank in its berth in the naval dockyard after catching fire late in the night.
Though no oil spill was reported till Monday evening, it is suspected that the fuel tank of the ship has been damaged and it could lead to oil leaking out. The tank carries around 300 tonnes of fuel. A huge amount of aviation fuel is also stored on board as it carries a helicopter. The Indian Coast Guard has been put on alert.
Around 10 fire engines and tugs from the dockyard and the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) were pressed into service immediately after plumes of smoke emerged from the warship. Though the reason for the fire is not clear yet, it is suspected that it started from the cushioning material on the body of the vessel and later spread.
The ship started sinking as it became heavy after water seeped in through the portion damaged in the collision. Moreover, water sprayed on the vessel by tugs and fire engines added to its weight.
CPRO, defence, Captain Manohar Nambiar said, “The berth where Vindhyagiri has been anchored is around seven metres deep. Due to low tide, water level in the berth went down and this led to the ship’s keel touching the seabed. The ship has also inclined in one direction and is leaning towards the berth. The fire has been brought under control but the damage to the ship would be known only after the salvage operation starts.”
INS Vindhyagiri, a Leander class Frigate, and nine other naval ships had been on a day out at sea with the crew and their family members on board. It collided with merchant vessel MV Nordlake while on its way back to the naval dockyard.
Earlier, it was reported that the damage to both the ships was minimal.
The ship was mounted with 4.5 inch guns and carried several small and medium level arms. Most of these have been taken out of the ship, according to navy officials. The ship also carries anti-submarine torpedoes.
“The first task would be to pump out the water deposited in the vessel and then bring out the fuel out of the tanks,” Nambiar said.
Deputy commissioner of police, Port Zone, Quaiser Khalid said, “The crew of the merchant vessel have been booked for rash navigation of vessel, causing hurt or act endangering life or personal safety of others”.
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