Video: The Indian frigate INS Betwa just took a spill in drydock

Harold C. Hutchison
Feb 4, 2020 5:23 PM PST
1 minute read
Video: The Indian frigate INS Betwa just took a spill in drydock

SUMMARY

Well, things just got very awkward in the Indian Navy. The INS Betwa, a Brahamuptra-class frigate, ended up capsizing onto her port side.

Well, things just got very awkward in the Indian Navy.


The INS Betwa, a Brahamuptra-class frigate, ended up capsizing onto her port side.

INS Betwa (F39) before she tipped over in the drydock. (Photo from Indian Navy via Wikimedia Commons)

According to a report by the Times of India, the incident occurred Dec. 5 as the 3,850-ton vessel was being prepared for removal from drydock after a refit that started in April.

Two sailors were killed, and 14 injured during the incident. The Indian Navy has declared its intention to salvage the vessel, which cost roughly 60 billion Indian rupees ($885 million) to build.

In addition to having to get the vessel right-side-up, the Indian Navy will have to also repair the ship's sonar dome. The vessel also suffered damage when it ran aground this past January.

The Brahamuptra-class frigates are versions of India's Godavari-class frigates. They are armed with 16 SS-N-25 "Switchblade" anti-ship missiles, 24 Barak surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm gun from OTO Melara, four AK-630 close-in weapon systems, and two triple 324mm torpedo tubes. The first ship, INS Brahamuptra, entered service in 2000, followed by the INS Betwa in 2004. A third ship, the INS Beas, was commissioned in 2005.

 

The Indian Navy has had several bad accidents in recent years. In one of the more spectacular mishaps, the Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak sank after an explosion while docked at a pier in 2013. Prior to the capsizing of INS Betwa, there had been five other accidents involving the Indian Navy this year, two of which involved fatalities.

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for We Are The Mighty's newsletter and receive the mighty updates!

By signing up you agree to our We Are The Mighty's Terms of Use and We Are The Mighty's Privacy Policy.

SHARE