INS Betwa mishap claims 2 lives, 14 injured

In a freak mishap that has already claimed two lives and injured 14 others, one of the key warships of the Western Naval Command - INS Betwa - slipped while undocking at the Naval Dockyard in Colaba at 1.50 pm on Monday. The injured are currently being treated at the naval hospital INHS Asvini

Site of the mishap, where INS Betwa a 3,850 tonne and 126-metre-long Brahmaputra-class guided missile frigate - slipped from her dock blocks in the Naval Dockyard and tilted over

In a freak mishap that has already claimed two lives and injured 14 others, one of the key warships of the Western Naval Command - INS Betwa - slipped while undocking at the Naval Dockyard in Colaba at 1.50 pm on Monday. The injured are currently being treated at the naval hospital INHS Asvini.

According to the Defence Ministry, INS (Indian Naval Ship) Betwa — a 3,850-tonne and 126-metre-long Brahmaputra-class guided missile frigate — slipped from her dock blocks and tilted during the process of undocking at the Naval Dockyard in South Mumbai on Monday afternoon.

Official version
According to Defence Public Relations Officer Rahul Sinha, the ship, which was undergoing underwater hull repair in the dry dock portion of the dockyard, slipped and tipped over into the water while it was being removed.

"The dry dock is where all the underwater repair takes place," said Sinha, speaking to mid-day, adding, "She (the ship) was in the process of undocking — a critical phase during repair work — when she became unstable and slipped off the dock block."

Pointing out that a dock block is the structure on which the ship is rested during its underwater repair work, Sinha said: "Following the repairs, when she was being moved out (which is a process called floating), the ship lost her stability and slipped out."

"Our first and utmost priority was, of course, to look after all the personnel and make sure that everybody was safe," Sinha added.

Casualties and damage
Initially after the mishap, no casualties were reported even though divers were sent out in search for two missing personnel. At 7 pm, two casualties were confirmed, while 14 others, who had sustained minor injuries, were being treated at INHS Asvini. "Technical evaluation for making the ship upright is in progress and an inquiry into the incident has been ordered," said Sinha. "The extent of the damage is still being assessed."

14
Personnel who sustained minor injuries in the mishap at the docks

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