Fire on Warship INS Ganga at Mumbai Naval Dock, 3 Injured

[Soumya1989]

Mumbai: A fire has been reported in the boiler room of the INS Ganga, an Indian Navy anti-submarine frigate docked at the Mumbai Naval dock.

Two civilians and one Navy sailor are reportedly injured.

More details are awaited
Fire on Warship INS Ganga at Mumbai Naval Dock, 3 Injured | NDTV.com

WTF??

 

[Soumya1989]

3 sailors injured in a minor explosion on INS Ganga vessel

MUMBAI: Three sailors suffered burns after a minor explosion that occurred in boiler situated close to the engine room of INS Ganga — a frigate Godavari class vessel today. The incident occurred around 12.50pm, when the ship was anchored at the Mumbai Naval dock for a routine maintenance check-up.

Immediately after the incident the three sailors present at the engine room were brought aboard the ship and rushed to the INHS Asvini hospital at Colaba. The Indian Navy officials are conducting a probe to find out the cause of fire at the boiler that led to minor explosion. "We are waiting for the status report of those sailors suffered burns in the minor explosion," said a defence official.

This is the seventh incident in less than four and a half month in 2014 and 16th incident since 2000.

Minor fire on naval warship INS Ganga, 3 injured

Mumbai: Just few weeks after a tragedy hit the Navy's Russian-origin Kilo Class submarine INS Sindhuratna, a minor explosion was reported at the INS Ganga at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on Friday.

According to initial reports, three persons, including a navy sailor, who were onboard the INS Ganga were also inured in the incident.

The cause of fire at the naval warship is yet to be ascertained.

This incident comes few weeks after the tragic death of at least seven sailors in a mishap involving the Russian-origin Kilo Class submarine INS Sindhuratna, 40 nautical miles off the coast of Mumbai.

In March this year, INS Kolkata was hit by an accident at the Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai claiming the life of a Commander and hospitalisation of two dockyard employees.

 

[TrueSpirit1]

This has become routine for IN, like it is plane crashes for IAF. Good going everyone.

 

[Free Karma]

At this point I'm really starting to feel there might be something shady is going on......so many incidents.

 

[jmj_overlord]

these many incidents and still IN has not learnt any lesson ? when the inductions of naval equipments and vessels into IN has increased, equal number of mishaps are also increasing.....

 

[Ray]

Something horribly is going wrong.

Is it poor material in construction?

Is it poor maintenance?

Is it poor training and professional skills?

 

[venkat]

i am pretty sure it is sabotage (guesswork)!!! These accidents cant happen with so much periodicity with out the help of some locals who could be regular workers/sympathizers of pakistan/US/china/Russia/UK .i think tight security measures in/out of ships dock yard,frisking may help a bit.

 

[t_co]

At this point I'm really starting to feel there might be something shady is going on......so many incidents.

Actually, as the incidence rate rises, the likelihood of any new incident being sabotage falls - no intelligence agency would jeopardize its valuable HUMINT assets by making them repeat an easily visible pattern of behavior for effects limited to one or two vessels at a time.

 

[PredictablyMalicious]

Russian quality on display once again

 

[t_co]

Something horribly is going wrong.

Is it poor material in construction?

Is it poor maintenance?

Is it poor training and professional skills?

It could be something wrong with the Mumbai dock. When the PLAN first bulked up its South China Sea fleet in 2010, it had to start using a new port for operations (since it was running out of room at Zhanjiang), and the newly pressed civilian dockworkers racked up an atrocious safety record until the PLAN dispatched a contingent of long-serving petty officers to properly train them.

What's surprising if that's true, though, is that dockworkers at Mumbai would have difficulty handling INS ships, given that Mumbai has been a naval base for decades now.

 

[Compersion]

Actually, as the incidence rate rises, the likelihood of any new incident being sabotage falls - no intelligence agency would jeopardize its valuable HUMINT assets by making them repeat an easily visible pattern of behavior for effects limited to one or two vessels at a time.

Good point. But again perhaps it is to establish a pattern that might be the motive. Perhaps maximize it until it is stopped. The pattern is of value since it will be marque for the future.

 

[laughingbuddha]

Russian quality on display once again

It is an indian designed and built frigate.

I would put the incident down to poor worksman standards. The yards need to modernise eqiipment, technique and skills. No point in pouring in millions to upgrade shipyards if you don't train the labour force.

 

[Ray]

It could be something wrong with the Mumbai dock. When the PLAN first bulked up its South China Sea fleet in 2010, it had to start using a new port for operations (since it was running out of room at Zhanjiang), and the newly pressed civilian dockworkers racked up an atrocious safety record until the PLAN dispatched a contingent of long-serving petty officers to properly train them.

What's surprising if that's true, though, is that dockworkers at Mumbai would have difficulty handling INS ships, given that Mumbai has been a naval base for decades now.

Today's report indicate that the welders working with the boilers were with poor skills.

Still, it is time that workers are selected on merit and not on political or 'reservation' affiliation, as is all Govt jobs.

Unless India puts merit over the overworked extraneous considerations this type of issue will continue to arise.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I found this article but cannot find its date.

Indian Navy is envisaging having a new 'Safety Organisation' to enhance safe operations of its warships, submarines and aircraft in view of its increasing fleet strength planned over the next decade.

This issue was discussed at the just concluded naval commanders conference held in New Delhi.

Indian Navy has had mishaps in the recent months involving its warships and submarines such as merchant vessel MV Nordlake ramming into INS Vindhyagiri when the warship was entering the Mumbai harbour in January 2011 and the mishap on INS Shakush submarine that claimed the life of a navy commander.

It is also planning to induct at least 50 warships in the next decade, including the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, INS Arihant nuclear-powered submarine and six Scorpene diesel-electric submarines. It also has acquisition schedules for 80 patrol boats.

"Considering the ongoing expansion programme of the Indian Navy, a new 'Safety Organisation' to enhance safe operations of ships, submarines and aircraft was also discussed at the three-day commanders conference," according to a navy spokesperson here.

The naval commander also discussed several important issues during the conference, including operational readiness, coastal security, infrastructure development, information and cyber security as also foreign cooperation initiatives.

The necessity for the Indian Navy to incorporate quantum enhancement in technology, ranging from nuclear propulsion to advanced weapon platforms and networked systems, was highlighted by Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma, especially in view of the recent induction of INS Chakra, the impending arrival of INS Vikramaditya and the P8-I Long Range Maritime Surveillance aircraft.

Verma expressed satisfaction at the modernisation and capability enhancement of the Indian Navy, which was proceeding as per the Maritime Capability Perspective Plan.

He highlighted the fact that four or five major warships and submarines were likely to be commissioned every year over the next five years and that naval aviation was poised for major growth in the years ahead.

New Safety Organisation Envisaged For Indian Navy - Defence Now

 

[W.G.Ewald]

Referring to some recent incidents having a bearing on information security, Shri Antony said the security environment prevailing in our neighborhood, security of national as well as physical security of our bases, dockyards, ships, submarines, aircrafts etc. cannot be ignored at any cost.

Shri Antony said human resources are the single most crucial component for any organization and the Navy surely was not an exception. He said top priority must be accorded to provide training, improve service conditions and the habitat of our personnel.

Naval Commander's Conference 2013/1 held : Press Release : Indian Navy

 

[t_co]

Does the INS ask for safety manuals and six-week training seminars for civilian dockworkers in its tech acquisition and ToT programs?

E.g. if the INS signs a contract to purchase a bunch of gas turbine or diesel warship engines, does it simply ask for enough training to operate them, or does it ask for a lengthy training program to learn how to maintain them? And does it expand the training program to civilian dockworkers as well, or limit it to INS personnel?