New Delhi: An Indian Navy personnel on INS Gomati on Thursday was killed while carrying out a combat weapon firing drill.
“In an unfortunate incident, Mohan Raj, Seaman First Class, of the Indian Navy serving onboard INS Gomati suffered grave injury whilst carrying out combat weapon firing drills at sea,” said Indian Navy in a statement.
It said that the sailor was airlifted from the ship to the nearest naval hospital INHS Asvini, Mumbai by a seaking helicopter. However, he succumbed to his injuries.
A board of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the incident.
“Mohan Raj aged 21 years, hailed from Katpudi, Tamil Nadu and is survived by his parents and two siblings,” said the statement.
INS Gomati is a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of Indian Navy.
The ship is manned by a crew of 30 officers and 280 sailors.
The ship is fitted with a medium range, close range and anti-aircraft guns, surface to surface and surface to air missiles and torpedo launchers. The ship has a wide array of sensors covering all facets of maritime warfare. In addition to Seaking, ALH and Chetak helicopters, the ship is also capable of operating UAVs.
This enables the ship to perform a wide variety of roles including coastal and offshore patrolling, monitoring of Sea Lines of Communication, maritime diplomacy, counter terrorism and anti-piracy operations.
The ship is named after a river in North India, which flows from Gomati Tal in Pilibhit to its confluence with the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh.
