Visakhapatnam: Nearly 18 hours after a navy vessel on a torpedo recovery mission sank off the coast of Visakhapatnam, four personnel remain missing. One person was killed and 23 people were rescued when the vessel started sinking last evening.
The vessel has reportedly sunk to a depth of around 370 metres. Sources say a crack may have developed in the hull, specifically a recess called the sea chest designed for water intake, which resulted in water gushing in and sinking the ship.
The Torpedo Recovery Vessel of TRV was on a routine mission to recover practice torpedoes fired by fleet ships during an exercise. The ship, 23 meters long and 6.5 meters at the beam, was built by Goa Shipyard Limited in 1983, a statement by the Navy said.
Seven ships, some of them with side scanning and 'bottom profiling' abilities, aircraft with night vision facilities and two helicopters are searching for survivors.
The accident is one of the many that the Navy has witnessed over the last year.
Navy chief Admiral RK Dhowan has cut short a visit to Seychelles after the latest incident. He took over as the Chief of the Naval Staff on April 17 this year, after his predecessor DK Joshi quit taking responsibility for a series of accidents.
Admiral Joshi resigned immediately after a fire on INS Sindhuratna, which left two sailors dead.
On October 31, INS Kora suffered minor damage after it was scraped by a merchant vessel near Visakhapatnam.
The vessel has reportedly sunk to a depth of around 370 metres. Sources say a crack may have developed in the hull, specifically a recess called the sea chest designed for water intake, which resulted in water gushing in and sinking the ship.
The Torpedo Recovery Vessel of TRV was on a routine mission to recover practice torpedoes fired by fleet ships during an exercise. The ship, 23 meters long and 6.5 meters at the beam, was built by Goa Shipyard Limited in 1983, a statement by the Navy said.
The accident is one of the many that the Navy has witnessed over the last year.
Advertisement
Admiral Joshi resigned immediately after a fire on INS Sindhuratna, which left two sailors dead.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Watch: Indian Naval Ship INS Tabar Arrives In London Indian Navy Invites Applications For SSC In Information Technology (Executive Branch) Indian Warship Takes Part In Traditional Maritime Parade On Russia's Navy Day 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent "Pivotal Moment": Key Doctor Body Resumes Strike 2 Days After Calling It Off Rahul Gandhi's Seat At Red Fort Triggers Fresh Congress Attack On BJP Monkeypox Virus Killed 548 People In This Nation Since Start Of 2024 Tiger Attacks 5 After Escaping From Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.