
Why the sinking of a cargo ship is a worry all along Kerala's coast
Why the sinking of a cargo ship is a worry all along Kerala's coast
Team TOI Plus
TNN
May 27, 2025, 18:21 IST IST
The capsizing of a Liberian vessel near the coast of Kerala has sparked worries about the risk posed by 12 containers of a hazardous chemical and the fuel the vessel was carrying .
The 184-metre-long container vessel MSC ELSA 3 had set out from the Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram on May 23 for Kochi, and was scheduled to dock there on May 24. However, on the afternoon of May 24 - around 38 nautical miles from its destination - the Liberian cargo ship carrying 643 containers began sending distress signals.
The Indian Coast Guard were able to rescue 21 crew members on May 24 itself, and when the vessel started capsizing, Indian Navy vessel INS Sujatha rescued the three remaining senior crew who had stayed behind.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
14 hours ago
- The Hindu
INS Nilgiri joins Eastern Naval Commamd in Visakhapatnam
INS Nilgiri, the first of the indigenously built Project 17A stealth frigates, arrived at Visakhapatnam. She joins the Eastern Naval Command and would be an integral part of the Eastern Sword- Sunrise Fleet. Built in Mumbai, INS Nilgiri now makes the City of Destiny her home port. This state of the art warship is driven by her motto — 'Adrish Yabalam, Ajeya Shauryam'. The ship was welcomed to Vizag in the traditional manner. The silhouettes of INS Nilgiri, and other ships of her class that would soon follow, are going to be a common sight on the eastern seaboard, enhancing the punch of the Indian Navy.


Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Navy to commission latest Russia-built stealth frigate ‘Tamal' on July 1
NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy will on July 1 commission its latest stealth multirole frigate, Tamal, at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia --- the last warship to be inducted from a foreign yard in line with the government's sharp focus on Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and Make-in-India initiatives, the navy said on Sunday. File photo of INS Tushil. Tamal is the second ship of the Tushil class, which is the upgraded version of their predecessors, Talwar and Teg classes having three ships each. (SpokespersonNavy-X) The commissioning ceremony will be presided over by the Western Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh. The frigate is expected to reach India's west coast in September and will form part of the navy's Mumbai-based Western Fleet, HT learns. Tamal is the eighth in the series of Krivak class frigates inducted from Russia over the past two decades, and will boost the country's maritime power in the Indian Ocean region. 'Tamal is the second ship of the Tushil class, which is the upgraded version of their predecessors, Talwar and Teg classes having three ships each. India as part of the broader contract for Tushil class is also building two similar frigates called the Triput class at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with transfer of technology and design assistance from the Russian side,' the navy said in a statement. The ship's name, Tamal, symbolises the mythical sword used for combat by Indra - the King of the gods, the navy statement said, adding that the ship's mascot is inspired by the congruence of the 'Jambavant', the Immortal Bear King of Indian Mythology and the Russian National Animal - the Eurasian Brown Bear. With the conclusion of this series of ships, the Indian Navy will be operating ten warships with similar capabilities and commonality in equipment, weapon and sensor fit over four different classes, it added. 'Tamal punches well above its weight with a very high tonnage to firepower ratio, extended endurance, and a top speed in excess of 30 knots.' The 3,900-tonne Tamal is part of a $2.5-billion deal with Russia for four more Krivak/Talwar class stealth frigates for the Indian Navy, two of which have been constructed at the Yantar shipyard and the remaining two will be built at GSL. The first frigate under the deal, INS Tushil, was commissioned into the navy last December at the Yantar Shipyard and reached the country in February. It was commissioned in the presence of defence minister Rajnath Singh, who described the warship as a 'proud testament' to India's growing maritime might and a 'significant milestone' in the long-standing friendship between the two countries. Tushil and Tamal are upgraded Krivak III class frigates of Project 1135.6, and six such vessels are already in service --- three Talwar class ships, built at Baltic shipyard in St Petersburg, and three follow-on Teg class ships, built at the Yantar shipyard. These frigates have an indigenous content of around 26%, double that of the previous Teg-class frigates. This includes contributions from 33 firms including Bharat Electronics Limited, BrahMos Aerospace (an India-Russia joint venture), and Nova Integrated Systems (a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Advanced Systems Limited). The new frigates are armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Shtil surface-to-air missiles with enhanced range, upgraded medium-range anti-air and surface guns, optically controlled close-range rapid fire gun system, torpedoes and rockets.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
15 hours ago
- Business Standard
Kerala's fishing economy reels from back-to-back maritime disasters
Kerala's coastal communities are on edge after two major maritime accidents in the Arabian Sea within a short span, threatening not only fragile marine ecosystems but also the livelihoods of thousands who depend on them. The back-to-back incidents—first involving the MSC Elsa 3, followed by a fire aboard MV Wan Hai 503—have triggered bans on fishing, fears of contamination, and disruptions to the state's marine economy. According to Kerala Fisheries Statistics 2021, over one million people in the state depend directly or indirectly on fisheries, including more than 2.4 lakh active fishermen across 222 marine fishing villages. When did the incidents occur? The MSC ELSA-3, a Liberian-flagged container ship carrying 640 containers (including hazardous materials like calcium carbide), capsized and sank on May 25, about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, off Kerala's coast. The MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container vessel, caught fire on June 9, roughly 78 nautical miles off Beypore, Kerala, following an under-deck explosion. After the MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck, authorities imposed an eight-day fishing ban within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the wreck site. The timing could not have been worse—it coincided with the onset of the monsoon season, typically a peak period for fish catch. In 2020-21, Kerala produced 6.15 lakh tonnes of fish and prawns, highlighting the scale of economic activity now at risk. The government's interim relief included ₹1,000 and 6 kg of rice per family, a measure many in the fishing community criticised as inadequate. 'June to September is when we earn the most. This amount doesn't even cover two days of work,' said a fisherman from the Alappuzha-Kollam region, highlighting how compensation fell below the daily minimum wage. Meanwhile, ongoing efforts to remove marine sediments from affected coastlines in Alappuzha, Kollam, and parts of Thiruvananthapuram have made uneven progress. Although communities have resumed fishing in some areas, fears of contamination persist. Environmental fears mount Experts say that while no mass fish deaths have been reported so far, the real danger may lie in delayed ecological impacts. 'If the water is not treated and sediments are not properly removed, this could lead to long-term consequences,' said a local fishing union representative. 'It's not just our community—this could affect people inland too, through the food chain and market supply.' Kollam, which usually lands around 35,000 tonnes of fish daily, has seen a steep drop in supply and demand alike. Several fish markets have reported little or no demand for days, as people are worried about possible contamination from hazardous cargo and oil spills. This has led to a direct loss of income for thousands of families who depend on fishing. According to Dr Sajeevan, professor at Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), misinformation about contamination is already hurting fish sales. Many regular fish eaters are switching to alternatives like meat or avoiding fish from affected areas altogether, he said. Scientific teams deployed to assess impact The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has deployed teams to assess environmental and economic fallout. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the National Institute of Oceanography are also expected to conduct studies on water quality and ecological recovery. 'Proper scientific monitoring and treatment are essential to contain long-term damage,' Dr Sajeevan added. 'We may not be seeing marine organism deaths now, but that doesn't rule out contamination. The impact on spawning, migration, and species diversity could emerge over time.' The way forward While cleanup operations are underway, fishers and environmentalists alike are demanding stricter regulation of maritime traffic near coastal zones and faster relief mechanisms. Experts are also calling for a contingency plan to protect coastal economies from future maritime mishaps. 'The government must establish a coordinated response framework that includes emergency cleanup, livelihood protection, and scientific risk assessments,' said a CMFRI official. 'Kerala's marine economy cannot afford repeated shocks.' For now, coastal families wait anxiously—not just for fish to return to their nets, but for assurance that their waters, and their futures, remain safe.