Officer dies leading firefighting efforts on Indian aircraft carrier Vikramaditya

An Indian Navy officer died in a fire that erupted aboard aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya as the ship was entering Karwar port on April 26.

The officer, identified by the Indian defense ministry as Lt Cdr DS Chauhan, led firefighting efforts in the compartment that was affected by fire.

Whilst the fire was brought under control, the officer suffered loss of consciousness owing to the smoke and fumes during the firefighting efforts.

He was immediately evacuated to the Naval Hospital at Karwar, INHS Patanjali for medical attention. However, the officer could not be revived.

The navy said it has launched an investigation into the incident. Serious damage that could impact the ship’s combat capability was prevented, it was added.

The navy did not provide information on whether the incident would affect the carrier’s operational schedule.

INS Vikramaditya is expected to join its French counterpart FS Charles de Gaulle for what was termed as the largest bilateral exercise between the two countries ever. The exercises, dubbed Varuna, are scheduled to take place in May.