New Delhi: Cracks in the seals attached to the shaft of the naval Torpedo Recovery Vessel (TRV A-72) that sank off the coast of Visakhapatnam at 8 pm on Thursday allowed in sea-water, causing the tragic incident.
Naval chief Admiral R.K. Dhowan is cutting short his official visit to Seychelles and returning home after the first major tragedy to have hit the Navy. This is the seventh naval accident in 15 months. The series of accidents cost the previous naval chief Admiral D.K. Joshi his job.
The Navy has already ordered an Inquiry into the accident that claimed the life of one sailor, identified as James Jacob. Four naval personnel are still missing and a full-scale search and rescue operation is being conducted by as many as nine naval ships along with helicopters.
The Navy rescued 24 of the 29 people on board on Thursday night. The Navy is now left with one TRV.
