Body of missing Navy sailor found two days after INS Brahmaputra fire

The body of Sitendra Singh, Leading Seaman, who went missing after the multi-role frigate INS Brahmaputra of the Indian Navy caught fire on July 21 night at the Mumbai dockyard, was found on July 24 after intensive diving operations.

According to the Navy, the ship's crew put out the fire by July 22 morning, with assistance from firefighters from Naval Dockyard Mumbai and nearby ships. It further said that all personnel were accounted for except one junior sailor.

Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi visited the naval dockyard on July 23 to review the sequence of events leading to the accident.

The Chief of Naval Staff directed Command and Naval Headquarters to initiate all actions for early operationalization of INS Brahmaputra making it seaworthy and combat-ready.

The fire severely damaged the warship and was tilted heavily on its left side.

Adm Dinesh K Tripathi and all personnel of the Indian Navy extended their deepest condolences to the family of 25-year-old Sitendra Singh, who hailed from Surajgarh, Rajasthan.

"The Chief of Naval Staff directed that all actions by the Command and Naval Headquarters to make INS Brahmaputra seaworthy and combat ready are to be initiated immediately," the Navy said in a statement.

"The Chief of Naval Staff was briefed on the mitigating actions taken to limit the extent of the damage, plan to recover and undertake repairs to restore the ship's functionality at the earliest," it said.

After Singh's body was recovered, the Colaba police filed an accidental death report following the recovery of the body.

According to Navy officers, INS Brahmaputra was undergoing a refit at Mumbai Harbor when the fire broke out which was noticed by the ship’s duty staff while carrying out routine maintenance work.

INS Brahmaputra was commissioned into the Indian Navy in April 2000 and is the first of the indigenously built 'Brahmaputra' class-guided missile frigates.

The nearly 3,600-ton warship is equipped with a comprehensive arsenal, featuring surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, medium-range guns, anti-submarine rockets, radars, sonars, and advanced electronic warfare systems.

Measuring 125 meters in length with a beam of 14.4 meters, this ship can achieve speeds of up to 30 knots (55.56 km/hr).