The heavily armed Indian navy frigate was equipped to do battle with enemy battleships and submarines, but it went up in flames as soon as it was hit … not by a torpedo or enemy vessel, mind you, but by a merchant ship.
The sinking of the INS Vindhyagiri, a 3,000-ton warship, marked the worst-ever peacetime loss for the Indian navy, Indian Express reported, adding that it’s also pretty embarrassing.
The warship was returning from a “day at sea” for families of sailors and officers and was entering the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust off the coast of Mumbai on Sunday afternoon, the website said.
Video taken by a passenger aboard the INS Vindhyagiri caught the collision as it unfolded. Those aboard the navy ship can be seen scurrying nervously as the merchant vessel approaches the frigate.
The Cyprus-flagged MV Nordlake, which was leaving the harbor, narrowly missed another container vessel, the MV Sea Eagle, and as it turned to avoid the Sea Eagle, it slammed into the frigate.
The collision cracked the warship's hull near the waterline. Water rushed in, and a fire broke out in the engine room, the Indian Express reported.
The Mumbai Mirror reported that the Navy attempted to put out the blaze, but the added water served only to sink the ship faster.
The ship was towed into the harbor, but it sank Monday afternoon. Police said they planned to arrest the Nordlake’s captain, according to the Indian Express.
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ROFL, you can't make this stuff up *GASP* the Pakistanis won't need no stinking torpedoes, all they'll need is an angry, bucking camel with water-wings and a carrot on a stick...ROFL.
JORGE, THE PAKISTANIS FIRST NEED TO BUY A DECENT SHIP BEFORE THEY CAN START WORRYING ABOUT IT SINKING
Lest we forget, Pakistan loves to buy the US made ships because of their durability: Always have, always will... so much so that they even buy our USED ships (PNS Babar was an example).
So, suck it!
ruffnut; You funny dude!!!
I heard a report that the fire fighting team on board attempted to telephone a call center for advice but they could not understand the American operator named Indhira on the other end of the phone.
Ruffnut, give it up, too many folks on this post just felt a sudden breeze over their heads when you commented and nothing more...(funny comment, though).
They sound like a bunch of idiots to me.
If we call any company in the US we get India on the line. My question: If you live in India and you call a company do you get someone in the US on the line?
Naw, they get someone in China.
A three hour tour, a three hour tour!
You sank my battleship!
I guess Bob from Calcutta couldn't help them. Poetic justice, I suppose.
I bet the captain of the frigate was put on hold when he dialed 24/7 customer service, while Bob got the answer from a more "experienced tech."
Next time, check the wires and reboot the system, pleese!
The authorities used water to put out the flames.... and it sank the frigate worth 400 crore rupees
these guys make perfect entertainment for the public at the expense of public money
what a mess
Wow. This is even funnier seeing as its a warship. I wouldn't have wanted to be on that boat in time of military crisis...
Couldn't have happened to a more deserving group of people. Karma?!? All the Indians that export themselves to the US that I've met think they have answers for everything, no matter the subject. The geniuses that remain in their country can't patrol sea traffic and avoid the sinking of their battleships? Pathetic.
Spoken like someone who I'd wager has never traveled outside his own borders, and definitely not to India.
Was this hip french built?
If I read this article right, a merchant ship "sunk it". Who is builting India's Naval Fleet, this sound to me like thiis war ship was either buit by the "Russians or the Chinese". I wonder what would happen if a "Tug Boat" were to hit one of these ships. Did India have a warranty on this ship? or is it "Buyer Bewear"
All the racist comments against Indians from d-bags who lost their $10/hr telemarketing jobs. Should have buckled down in school, losers.
Well said PJ!
Finally! An intelligent comment!!
An intelligent comment? Pfft...It's just another racist generalization except without the funny.
I say sir, you fail.
There are many more jobs going to India besides call center jobs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/10/AR2006011001687.html