By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Feb 21:
INS Nireekshak, a submarine rescue vessel, was awarded “on-the-spot” Unit Citation of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) during the visit of the CNS Admiral R Harikumar to Kochi (Kerala) on Monday.
The CNS interacted with the diving team of the ship involved in the salvage operations at a depth of 219 meters in the Arabian Sea and commended the ship on the safe and successful conduct of the operations under most challenging circumstances. This was the deepest salvage carried out in the country’s waters, an official statement read.
During his address to the ship’s crew, the CNS complimented the dedicated effort of the ship in conducting the deep diving operations. He exhorted the undaunted spirit of the “Men Behind the Machine”. The CNS awarded ”’on the spot” Unit Citation to the ship, a first in Indian Navy. He also awarded commendations to the crew involved in the salvage operation.
Nireekshak had recently completed a solemn dive at Diu near Gujarat coast to pay homage by laying wreath at 80 m depth, the resting site of erstwhile Khukri which sank during 1971 war.
INS Khukri, a British-origin anti-submarine warfare frigate has been the only Indian Naval vessel to have been lost in combat.
INS Nireekshak is a Dive Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of Indian Navy. She was originally built in 1985 by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai, for the Oil and National Gas Corporation’s offshore oil exploration work, having a dynamic position facility and a recompression chamber. It was acquired on lease with an option for purchase by Indian Navy on June 8,1989 and was later commissioned in 1995.
INS Nireekshak has been part of various diving operations and holds the record for the deepest dive carried out in the country to a depth of 257 m.