Overview
- A fire broke out aboard INS Brahmaputra during repairs at Mumbai Naval Dockyard on July 21, 2024, and large volumes of firefighting water caused the 3,850‑tonne frigate to list and topple, killing Leading Seaman Sitendra Singh.
- Salvage teams spent months righting the ship and carrying out repairs, and officials say the frigate is currently in trials but has not yet been returned to operational service.
- A military court in Mumbai began court‑martial proceedings against the ship’s commanding officer and the officer of the day on October 12, 2026.
- The captain faces charges including hazarding an Indian Navy ship and negligence while the lieutenant commander is charged with negligence, and convictions could mean reprimand, loss of seniority or up to two years’ imprisonment.
- Senior navy leadership set up a rear‑admiral‑led special task force after the mishap and implemented its safety recommendations, a response shaped in part by a similar 2016 dockyard topple that also led to courts‑martial and heightened scrutiny of repair‑yard safety.