Navy Chief Orders Repair of Warship

New Delhi: Indian Navy Chief Adm Dinesh K. Tripathi has directed command and Naval Headquarters to take all necessary actions to make the Indian Navy's frontline warship, INS Brahmaputra, seaworthy and combat-ready after it was severely damaged in a fire incident.

Meanwhile, the body of Leading Seaman Sitendra Singh, who had been missing since the fire incident, was found on Wednesday after intensive diving operations.

The 3,850-ton Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, was undergoing a refit at Naval Dockyard Mumbai when the incident took place on Sunday evening.

While the fire was brought under control on Monday morning, the ship completely tilted to one side and could not be righted. Concerns were raised about whether the warship could be saved, as its loss would be a significant blow to the Indian Navy.

Navy Chief Adm Tripathi rushed to Mumbai on Tuesday to review the sequence of events leading to the accident and the efforts undertaken to locate the missing sailor.

He was briefed on the actions taken to limit the extent of the damage and the plan to recover and repair the ship to restore its functionality as soon as possible.

Interacting with the crew of INS Brahmaputra, the Navy Chief exhorted them to work towards the early operationalization of the ship in the true spirit of the Indian Navy.

The warship, also known by the nickname "The Raging Rhino," was commissioned in April 2000 and has a crew of 450 personnel, including officers.