INS Nireekshak awarded on-the-spot Navy chief Unit Citation for salvage ops

Kochi (Kerala) [India], February 21 (ANI): In a first for the Indian Navy, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Harikumar awarded ‘on the spot’ Unit Citation to INS Nireekshak in Kochi for deep sea diving and undertaking salvage operation under the most challenging circumstances.

He also awarded commendations to the crew involved in the salvage operation.

Navy chief Admiral Harikumar visited INS Nireekshak at Kochi on Monday. He interacted with the diving team of the ship involved in the salvage operations at a depth of 219 metres in the Arabian Sea and commended the vessel’s crew on the safe and successful conduct of the operations under the most challenging circumstances.

According to Indian Navy, this is the deepest salvage carried out in the country’s waters. During his address to the ship’s crew, Admiral Harikumar complimented the dedicated effort of the ship in conducting the deep diving operations. He exhorted the undaunted spirit of the ‘Men Behind the Machine’.

Nireekshak had also recently completed a solemn dive off Gujarat coast to pay homage by laying wreath at 80 m depth, the resting site of erstwhile Khukri, which sank during the 1971 war.

INS Nireekshak is a Dive Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel of Indian Navy. Built by Mazgaon Shipbuilders in 1985, the ship has been in service with the Navy since 1989 and was commissioned in the year 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.