INS Vindhyagiri, which collided with a merchant ship and caught fire on Sunday, was flooded, began listing this afternoon. Everyone on board has been evacuated.
Oil is leaking out of the ship, and the naval and other authorities are trying to contain the damage, TV channels said.
Times Now had reported on Monday morning that the efforts to put out the fire had continued for 12 hours, but smoke continued to billow out of the craft. The accident had embarrassed not just the port authorities, but also the Indian navy. Many hard questions will now be asked of the navy and the port.
NDTV had reported on Monday morning (10.35 am) that the dockyard had sought help from the Mumbai fire force, and many were stuck on the craft.
The ship had about 400 people on board on Sunday, according to PTI. INS Vindhagiri collided when it was returning after the annual Day at Sea, in which families of the Navy personnel get to visit the ship.
Officials said merchant vessel Nord Lake was leaving Mumbai harbour when the collision occurred.
The burning ship could be seen clearly from the beach at Colaba in Mumbai. INS Vindhyagiri was to be decommissioned soon, and was categorised as a Nilgiri class frigate,
Wikipedia describes the Nilgiri frigates as “updated versions of the Leander class, designed and built for the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. Six ships were built between 1972-81. Vessels of the class formed the 14th Frigate Squadron.”|
Eight fire tankers were sent to douse the fire in the morning. The number went up to 16 later.
PTI reports: “An official said there was a dent in the warship due to the impact of the collision through which water had gushed into the vessel causing it to tilt to one side.”
It quoted defence spokesman Manohar Nambiar as saying the ship was “resting on the sea bed and it cannot sink as there is not enough water.”
Nambiar told the agency: “The ship is listing on one side. This can be rectified. Once the water is pumped out, it will straighten”.
