Major Fire On Board Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya, No Casualties

A major fire broke out on board India’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The fire accident took place during a planned sortie for the conduct of sea trials off Karwar in the Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka on Wednesday. Vikramaditya is based in Karwar. 

“During a planned sortie for the conduct of trials at sea, the incident of fire was reported on board INS Vikramaditya. The fire was brought under control by the warship's crew using fire-fighting systems. No casualties have been reported. A board of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident," the Navy said in a brief statement late on Wednesday night.

The $2.3 billion aircraft carrier came to India from Russia in January 2014. It was inducted into the Indian Navy in November 2013 in north Russia's Severodvinsk and is now based in Karnataka's Karwar. The air wing consists of MiG 29K fighter jets and Kamov helicopters and it is the costliest single weapon platform India has ever bought.