Navy Chief says safety measures in place to avoid accidents in future

The new Chief of Naval Staff Admiral RK Dhowan saidthe Navy has analysed thoroughly the recent incidents, that led his predecessor to quit on moral grounds, and the organisation has “reiterated” the various safety mechanisms already in place.

The Navy has been hit by a spate of accidents on its assets over the past two years – at least, three of them proved to be fatal.

Last August, even as the nation celebrated its Independence Day and was basking in the glory of the then recently inducted aircraft carrier – INS Vikramaditya, a blast rocked a Naval Submarine (Sindhurakshak) at the Naval Dockyard in the city. Eighteen young sailors, including three officers, lost their lives.

As the Navy was trying to come to terms with the accident, another submarine met with a similar fate in February this year after its battery compartment caught fire. Two young officers lost their lives.

Taking moral responsibility for the incident, the then chief of Navy Admiral DK Joshi quit taking moral responsibility for the accidents.

Another Officer lost his life as he was inspecting a Naval warship, which was being built at the Mumbai Port Trust.

First visit to Mumbai Monday’s visit was Dhowan’s first to Mumbai, also the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, after taking charge in April.

Dhowan said the Navy has put in place various measures “that need to be taken to ensure that the safety standards,” even before the enquiry report in the above-mentioned accidents were submitted.

He, however, did not reply to a specific question on the content of these enquiry reports.

Dhowan said, “It will be our endeavour to see whatever lessons are learnt from these boards of enquiry… we put those measures in place throughout the Navy.”

‘Work together’ Asked what those learnings were, the Admiral said, “I can only say that there are aspects related to safety audits that have been put in place, aspects relating to procedures that have been put in place. So, these are various on-going procedures which have always been there. All that we have done is we have reiterated them.”

Earlier, addressing officers and sailors of the Western Naval Command, Dhowan said, “Few incidents in the past have cast a dent on the Navy’s image. We must all work together as a team to improve it.”

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