Indian Navy's decommissioned carrier Viraat set sail for the last time from Mumbai to Gujarat's Alang where it will be dismantled and offered as scrap.The warship served the Indian Navy for 30 years after it was brought to India in 1987 from UK.It was a psychological moment for Navy veterans to see INS Viraat leave the Mumbai Harbour, aboard which they spent the very best years of their career.

#Mumbai bids adieu to #Viraat as she leaves harbour one last time on her method to Alang, Gujarat.

The flagship of @indiannavy served with distinction for 3 decades after her service in @RoyalNavy as #HMSHermes for over two decades.

tweeted PRO Defence Mumbai.As Viraat began its final journey from the Naval dockyard, a Navy helicopter circling around overhead offered a marvelous background to the vessel's last voyage.The warship was decommissioned in March 2017.

It had served in the UK's Royal Navy as HMS Hermes and was named INS Viraat after being inducted in the Indian Navy in 1987.

There were efforts to convert 'Viraat' into a museum or a dining establishment, however none of the plans fructified.Alang-based Shree Ram group bought it for Rs 38.54 crore at an auction.

Viraat will be dismantled at the Alang ship breaking yard, said company chairman Mukesh Patel.

The vessel will likely reach Alang by September 21 if weather conditions remainfavourable, he added.Once the ship arrives, it will require clearances from the Gujarat Contamination Control Board and Customs prior to being brought ashore.

Approvals will likewise be needed for recycling according to the Supreme Court s 2013 standards, Patel said.The ship will be scrapped in 9 to 12 months, he said.Prior to being commissioned in Indian Navy on May 12, 1987, the aircraft carrier had actually served with UKs Royal Navy for 27 years under the name HMS Hermes, taking it to a total of 56 years of operational service, and making it among the oldest serving warships.Under the Indian flag, Viraat played an important function in military operations such as Operation Jupiter, Operation Parakram and Operation Vijay.Viraat was commissioned into Indian Navy on May 12, 1987 at Plymouth in the United Kingdom.For the Indian Navy, Operation Jupiter in July 1989 was Viraats first major operation, as part of the Indian Peace Keeping operations in Sri Lanka in the wake of the breakdown of the Indo-Sri Lankan accord of 1986.

Viraat likewise saw action during Operation Parakram in 2001-2002, post the horror attack on Parliament.The last functional release of the ship was the participation in International Fleet Evaluation at Vishakhapatanam on February 2016.

The ship also participated in different global joint workouts like Malabar (with United States Navy), Varuna (with French Navy), Naseem-Al-Bahr (with Oman Navy) and was an important aspect of annual Theater Level Operational Exercise (TROPEX).

Viraat is the 2nd carrier to be broken down in India.

In 2014, Vikrant was broken down in Mumbai.Four officers who served on board Viraat when it was operational, went on to end up being Indian Navy chiefs.Nicknamed the Grand Old Lady, Viraat could bring a contingent of over 1,500 crew and officers.

She was like a drifting city, a piece of our country any place we went, a previous Navy officer said.The warship served the British Navy for 25 years in between 1959 and 1984.

It was then called HMS Hermes and had actually played a significant function in the Falklands War of 1982.

When the Indian Navy obtained the warship in 1986, the British Navy forecasted that it would not be in service for more than seven years.

She went on to serve the Indian Navy for nearly 30 years, over four times the forecasted life span.Viraat was at sea for a 2,258 days, covering 590000 nautical miles, and 22622 hours of flying operations, a Defence official stated.

It could bring 25 airplane, including Sea Harrier fighters and Sea King 42 B/C, Chetak, Kamov 31 and ALH helicopters.While operational, Viraat weighed about 27,800 tonnes.

Its boilers had actually run for over 80,000 hours and it was probably the only warship, constructed during the World War II, to have actually served any nation for so long, the official stated.(With inputs from PTI)