New Delhi: Two Indian Navy officers are facing court martial proceedings for an accident involving the guided missile frigate INS Brahmaputra at Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard on July 21, 2024.
The warship toppled on its side during repairs after a fire on board. A sailor was killed and the ship suffered extensive damage.
The proceedings against the two officers began in Mumbai on October 12. Those facing formal charges are the ship’s commanding officer, a captain, and the officer of the day, a lieutenant commander. Both face charges of negligence in carrying out their duties. The captain also faces a charge of hazarding a naval vessel, which in naval terms means putting a ship in danger, as reported by NDTV.
If found guilty, the officers could face anything from a reprimand and loss of seniority to up to two years in prison.
“Establishing the cause, fixing responsibility, and putting safeguards in place are essential to prevent recurrence,” a Navy spokesperson said.
A probe revealed that firefighters poured large quantities of water into the vessel to douse the blaze. The frigate lost stability, listed heavily to port, and finally came to rest on its side.
While most of the crew managed to escape using the gangway, some had to jump into the water and swim to safety. Leading seaman Sitendra Singh went missing during the evacuation. He was later found dead.
The accident highlighted the dangers of firefighting on a large warship where water trapped inside can upset the ship’s stability. It also called into question the supervision of the repair work and what safety arrangements were put in place.
The court-martial is expected to examine how far the two officers were responsible for what led to the accident. The Navy hasn’t said publicly what specific actions or failures the charges rest on.
It took the Navy a long time to set the ship upright. Repair and restoration work carried on after that. The ship is now going through trials. Officials say it hasn’t been formally returned to operational service yet and should be seaworthy sometime next year.
INS Brahmaputra, the lead ship of India’s own class of guided-missile frigates, was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd and entered the fleet in April 2000. She is 3,850 tonnes, 125-metre long vessel.
The accident set off a wider review of safety and security across the Indian Navy, with then chief of naval staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi setting up a special task force, led by a rear admiral, to look at vulnerabilities involving naval vessels and suggest ways to prevent accidents.