On Wednesday, thousands of people flocked the RK Beach to take part in the Navy Day 2019 celebrations in Visakhapatnam. Rising to the occasion, the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) officials displayed the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy.

The celebrations began with two microlight gliders making a fly-past and firing a mid-size howitzer, as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy entered the venue along with the Vice-Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of ENC.

The standout feature of the evening was the aerobatics demonstration put up by the team of Indian Air Force (IAF) – the Suryakiran. Amid the cheering crowd, the nine Hawk Mk 132 aircraft took flight at 200 metres above the ground, displaying various formations including an arrowhead, delta, tejas, vajra and anchor. The event also witnessed nine-membered Marcos (marine commandos) performing a controlled free fall from a Dornier aircraft. The marine commandos also slid down the rope from a Sea King helicopter and made a beach landing from the swiftly moving Gemini boats.

As a part of the Navy Day 2019 celebrations in Visakhapatnam, several naval aircraft and helicopters showcased formation foray. Furthermore, various naval ships such as INS Shivalik, INS Rajput, INS Ranjit and INS Jalashwa were also displayed.