Smoke rises from the Indian frigate Vindhyagiri, which suffered a fire a day after colliding with a cargo ship. // AP Image
Fire-ravaged and collision-bruised, an Indian frigate floundered at the dock in Mumbai early Sunday and sank in about 22 feet of water. By late Monday, only the mast of the Vindhyagiri was visible, the Hindustan Times reported.
The frigate’s troubles began late Sunday afternoon. Some of the crew of 400 had brought along their families for a relaxing family day cruise and by 4:45 p.m. the frigate, along with another Indian warship, was headed back into port, The Times of India reported. A container ship, M.V. Nordlake, was headed out to sea. The first Indian warship arranged a port-to-port passage with Nordlake on bridge to bridge, but as they steered closer, the ships agreed upon on a starboard-to-starboard, an Indian admiral told the Times. Then they reversed it.
According to this officer, Vice Adm. Sanjeev Bhasin, the Nordlake took emergency actions to avoid the first Indian warship and crashed right into the second, the Vindhyagiri, not far from Sunk Rock Lighthouse at the mouth of the harbor.
No one was injured but the ship was crippled, including damage to the boiler and a fuel tank, and was brought back to the docks, the Times reported.
A fire broke out in the damaged engine room later on Sunday. Fire crews eventually put out the fire but the ship, perhaps from shifting water tanks to fight the blaze, was listing badly and taking on water. It soon sank.
