Indian Navy’s hydrographic survey ship Sandhayak was decommissioned at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam on Friday after serving the nation for 40 years, according to an official statement. The ship, during its commissioned service, undertook approximately 200 major hydrographic surveys and numerous minor surveys in both east and west coasts of the country, the Andaman seas as well as in the neighbouring countries.
“The ship was decommissioned in a solemn and low key event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when the national flag, naval ensign, and the decommissioning pennant were lowered at sunset time in the presence of Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, the Chief Guest for the ceremony,” the Indian Navy’s statement said. “The decommissioning ceremony was also attended by Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, Chief Hydrographer to Government of India, and by serving hydrographers, outstation ex-crew members and veterans virtually through live streaming,” the statement noted.
Apart from survey missions, the ship was an active participant in many significant operations such as Operation Pawan (assisting the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in 1987) and Operation Rainbow (rendering humanitarian assistance post the 2004 Tsunami). Sandhayak also participated in the maiden joint INDO-US HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief) exercise ‘Tiger-Triumph’ in 2019.
The ship was commissioned to the Indian Navy on February 26, 1981.
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