Indian naval patrol ship sinks off Goa coast

NEW DELHI: An Indian naval ship sank in the Arabian Sea off the western coastal state of Goa after colliding with a merchant carrier but there were no casualties, the navy announced on Sunday.

“The 450-tonne naval patrol vessel sank after colliding with the Rajiv Gandhi container carrier belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India” on Friday, 35 kilometres off the coast, the navy said in a statement.

“Following the collision, the naval ship sank just after midnight. The damage to MV Rajiv Gandhi has been minimal and she is presently anchored off Goa,” the statement said. “Seventy three crew members have been rescued. The rescued crew has been evacuated to Goa,” it said.

India’s 140-ship navy, including coastal craft and supply vessels, regularly conducts joint sea patrols with the United States through the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest sea routes crucial for oil shipments to Asia. AFP

Home | Foreign