Fire on board INS Vikramaditya: one dead, probe ordered

A fire broke out on board INS Vikramaditya, India’s 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, on Friday (April 26) as the ship was entering the Karwar port, in Karnataka. Lieutenant-commander DS Chauhan, who led the firefighting efforts, died, said an NDTV report.

The fire was brought under control but the officer lost consciousness due to smoke and fumes during the firefighting efforts. He was rushed to the naval hospital at Karwar, but could not be revived.

Reports said there was no damage to the combat capabilities of the ship. The Navy has ordered a board of inquiry.

The crew on board took swift action and brought the fire under control. An inquiry to investigate the fire has been ordered. The carrier is the biggest and heaviest naval aircraft carrier in the Indian navy. The vessel was procured from Russia in 2014.