Explosion on board INS Ranvir; 3 Navy personnel dead

Three Indian Navy personnel lost their lives in an explosion that happened onboard INS Ranvir. The personnel, who were in the internal compartment when the explosion happened, succumbed to their injuries.

The ship's crew responded immediately and quickly brought the situation under control. No major material damage has been reported, the Navy said in a statement.

INS Ranvir was on a cross coast operational deployment from the Eastern Naval Command since November 2021 and was due to return to base port shortly. A Board of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause.

So far, the identity of the deceased naval personnel has not been revealed. 

INS Ranvir, the fourth of the five Rajput-class destroyers, was inducted into the Indian Navy in 1986 and has been participated in several bilateral and multinational maritime exercises. It was also deployed on several missions across the globe, including HADR missions.  

Last year in October, a case of fire and flooding was reported on its another destroyer INS Ranvijay in Visakhapatnam. Four sailors had suffered injuries. 

INS Ranvir, a Soviet-origin ship whose name translates to bravery and valour of warriors, has a displacement of 5,000 tonnes, a length of 146 metres, a beam of 15.8 metres and is capable of speed in excess of 30 knots. 

The warship, which has a crew of 30 officers and 310 sailors, is equipped with an array of weapons and sensors which include, anti-aircraft and anti-missile guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, torpedos and anti-submarine rocket launchers. 

The destroyer is also capable of operating the Kamov 28 anti-submarine helicopter, which enables the ship to perform a wide variety of roles including coastal and offshore patrolling, maritime diplomacy, counter-terrorism, monitoring of Sea Lines of Communication and anti-piracy operations. 

• Board of inquiry
• Eastern Naval Command
• INS Ranvir
• Indian Navy
• Navy personnel
• explosion
• internal compartment