Article Posted on : - Jan 17, 2011

Navy personnel display search and rescue operation in the sea conducted with the forces Chetak helicopter during the Navy Week celebrations in Chennai on Sunday. A PTI photo

CHENNAI (PTI): Ships belonging to the Eastern Fleet of the Indian Navy Sunday carried out naval games for the public as part of Navy Week celebrations.

INS Rana and INS Kulish of the Eastern Fleet took members of the public and the media on a 30 km sojourn into the ocean to witness the games, "meant for the common man to realise that ships are much more than moving platforms," according to Lt Commander Rajneesh Dalal of INS Kulish.

The games saw sister Naval ships carry out activities like firing of signal cartridges and a helicopter carrying out search and rescue operations that involved staged demonstations of a man being rescued from the ocean.

Both INS Rana and INS Kulish also demonstrated anti-air machine gun firing, which involved taking down lit up flare-like targets that were shot into the sky for the purpose. Light and Medium Range machine guns were used for the exercise.

Explaining the motive behind naval exercises, Dalal said, "Most people are unaware of how a ship functions. These exercises help them get a better understanding of what happens inside a ship." The exercises, he said, also help personnel on board the ships remain sharp and ready to get into action any time.

The Lt Commander said the Navy Week celebrations are part of Navy Day celebrations which is observed annually on December 4. The occasion is celebrated to mark the successful bombing of Karachi harbour in Pakistan during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he said.

Though the ships were also scheduled to demonstrate 'underway replenishment,' where two ships can transfer personnel and goods while in motion, turbulent waters led to dropping the plan.

"We'd have to increase the speed of the ship for it to happen, but many of the guests on board may find it hard to adapt," said Dalal.