A Scorpene-class submarine of the Indian Navy collided with a fishing trawler off the Goa coast during the operation “Sea Vigil 24,” a coastal defense exercise, late on Thursday night. The incident involved the Indian fishing vessel Marthoma, which had 13 crew members on board. While 11 fishermen were successfully rescued, efforts to locate the remaining two crew members are currently ongoing, spearheaded by Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels.
An Indian Navy spokesperson has confirmed that search and rescue operations for the missing fishermen are in full swing, coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai. The Indian Navy’s response includes the deployment of six naval ships and surveillance aircraft, with additional assets being diverted to enhance the search efforts in the area.
Details regarding potential damages to the diesel-electric submarine, which is equipped with long-range guided torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, have not been disclosed by the Indian Navy. However, the incident has raised significant concerns regarding safety and operational protocols within the Navy.
The collision is the latest in a troubling series of events that have plagued the Indian Navy along its western coast over the past decade. Critics highlight an alarming trend of tragedies, including collisions, fires, and other safety incidents, which have raised questions about the Navy’s preparedness and resource allocation. “It is a major embarrassment for the Indian Navy, conducting coastal defense exercises, to be involved in an accident with a fishing vessel,” commented a senior naval commander. The commander further emphasized that the undetected presence of the fishing vessel during the submarine’s transit and surfacing poses serious concerns regarding security breaches in coastal defense operations.
The collision took place approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of the Goa coast, at a time when the submarine had just participated in a joint coastal defense exercise. “Sea Vigil-24” spanned the entire nation, covering an impressive 11,098 km of coastline and an Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometers. This comprehensive exercise involved collaboration from six ministries and 21 state and central security agencies.
The Western Naval Command has been grappling with a litany of accidents over the last decade, contributing to increasing scrutiny of safety protocols and operational readiness. Past incidents include a major fire aboard the INS Brahmaputra in July, which raised alarms about safety measures in the Mumbai harbor. Other catastrophic events include a deadly explosion on the INS Ranvir in January 2022, which claimed the lives of three sailors and injured 11 others, and a 2013 incident involving the INS Sindhurakshak, where a fire triggered by warheads led to the deaths of 18 naval personnel.
Moreover, there have been several near-misses, such as the collision of INS Talwar with a fishing trawler in December 2013 and the grounding of INS Betwa, which faced multiple mishaps in the following years. The string of disasters highlights a critical shortage of naval officers, resources, and perhaps the aging fleet’s operational capability, compelling calls for a reevaluation of the Indian Navy’s approach to maritime safety and crisis management.
As the search for the missing crew members continues, the Navy is under pressure to address deeper issues surrounding its operational protocols and to restore confidence in its maritime capabilities.
