2 dead as Naval warship tips over during undocking at Mumbai dockyard

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 5

Two personnel died after Naval warship INS Betwa tipped over and hit the land while being undocked at dockyard in Mumbai on Monday.

The accident occurred when the docks mechanism failed, Navy spokesman Captain DK Sharma confirmed.

The INS Betwa has titled 90 degrees and the main mast has broken. The mast houses the long-range surveillance radars.

Earlier, the Navy said divers have been launched and 14 perons with minor injuries have been rescued.

Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba has left for Mumbai to visit the site where INS Betwa met with the accident.

The ship was at the ' Cruiser Graving dock' in Mumbai. The dock is under the Navy and the warship was to go out to sea after a re-fit.

INS Betwa is a 3,800-tonne guided missile frigate. It was commissioned in 2004.