Four Indian Navy personnel, including two officers, died and a dozen others were reportedly injured when a floodgate at the ship repair unit of the dockyard collapsed during routine operations at the Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on Wednesday.
Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command.
While confirming the four deaths, police and Navy officials denied reports that there were others who had been injured. The Malkapuram police has registered a case.
The personnel who died were identified as Commander Ashwini Kumar (47), Lieutenant Commander Ranbeer Ranjan (30), shipwright sailor Madhubabu (31) and chief shipwright Rajesh (30) of the Indian Navy. While Rajesh succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the Indian Navy’s hospital at Kalyani here Wednesday evening, the other three died on the spot at the dockyard.
The Navy spokesperson, Commander T.L.P. Babu, stated that the mishap had occurred due to the collapse of a docking gate during routine operations at the dockyard on Wednesday morning. While the cause of the accident and other details were still being ascertained, other details would be made available soon, he added. A board of inquiry will ascertain the cause and circumstances leading to the mishap, Commander Babu added.