Vindhyagiri: collision sets off panic onboard

Mumbai: Visuals captured moments after INS Vindhyagiri rammed into cargo vessel MV Nordlake show that panic struck the people on board the Indian naval warship.

Exclusive footage accessed by CNN-IBN saw how the collision happened and how the naval warship went sinking after that. The video also reveals how panic gripped the people on board the vessel.

While no casualties were reported in the incident, the boiler caught fire and the ship went under due to flooding.

While no casualties were reported, the boiler caught fire and the ship went sinking.

The salvaging operation of Vindhyagiri will start in the next couple of days. The crucial questions that the investigators are grappling with are: was there a communication lapse and why didn't the two ships communicate with each other to avert a collision on the high seas in broad day light.

These visuals prima facie suggest that:

-Vindhyagiri was entering the navigational channel headed to JNPT Port in Navi Mumbai.

-The loaded cargo vessel was in the navigational channel and was coming out of JNPT.

-Vindhyagiri claims there was confusion due to the presence of a third ship

-The Cargo ship claims it cut down on its speed drastically to avert the collision

-The crucial question is why didn't JNPT's Vessel Traffic Management System intervene?

Experts suggest that even though the Navy has blamed the cargo vessel, being more maneuverable and powerful Vindhyagiri could have done more to avert this collision.

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