New Delhi: A fire broke out on INS Brahmaputra on Sunday evening (July 21) while it was undergoing maintenance in a naval dockyard in Mumbai. A junior sailor went missing after the incident and a search operation is underway. No casualties have been reported.

The fire was brought under control by Monday morning but it severely damaged the ship which continued to tilt along one side. “The ship continued to list further alongside her berth since Monday afternoon and is now resting on the side,” the Navy said, adding that an inquiry into the fire incident is underway.

“The fire was brought under control by the ship's crew with assistance of firefighters from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and other ships in harbour, by [Monday] morning. Further, follow-on actions including sanitisation checks for assessment of residual risk of fire were carried out," the navy said in a statement.

“Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to an upright position,” it added.

The fire was detected by the ship’s duty staff while carrying out routine maintenance work onboard the ship.

The INS Brahmaputra, manned by a crew of 40 officers and 330 sailors, is the first of the indigenously built 'Brahmaputra' class guided missile frigate. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2000.

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