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The Hindu
10-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Massive fire aboard Singapore-flagged container ship off Kerala coast; rescue efforts stepped up
A major fire aboard a Singapore-flagged container ship carrying flammable and toxic materials continues to rage off the Kerala coast, as rescue teams battle both the flames and the risk of the vessel sinking on Tuesday (June 10, 2025). The fire broke out on MV Wan Hai 503 on Monday while the ship was en route from Colombo to Mumbai, 78 nautical miles off the Kerala Coast. Four crew members remain missing, and the search for them is ongoing, according to Defence PRO Atul Pillai. 'Seven ships and five Dornier aircraft are part of the rescue operation. INS Sujatha and Coast Guard vessel Samarth have joined the mission,' he said. He added that the situation remain critical, with floating containers posing additional hazards. Water being sprayed 'Yesterday, access to the burning ship was not possible. Today, the Coast Guard managed to approach and begin spraying water. However, the vessel is not floating in a stable position, which complicated the respone.' he said. Azhikkal port PRO Captain Arun Kumar confirmed that efforts to extinguish the fire had not yet succeeded. 'A specialised salvage team departed from Kochi this morning. Around 25 containers have fallen into the sea. Recovery operation are in progress,' he said, warning that some of the containers may drift toward the Ernakulam and Thrissur coast. The contents of the burning containers – some reportedly hazardous – have raised environmental concerns. Authorities continue to monitor the movement of the containers and assess the potential risks of pollution and coastal damage. Meanwhile, the Coastal police in Kannur have cautioned the fishermen to be careful.
India Gazette
30-05-2025
- General
- India Gazette
TN authorities alert for toxic debris washing ashore after Liberia-registered ship sinks off Kerala coast
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 30 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority is monitoring the possibility of hazardous materials, spilt from the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3, washing ashore the state's coast. As of now, no hazardous materials have been found on Tamil Nadu's coastline, the officials said. The ship was involved in an accident off the Kerala coast on May 24, during the onset of the southwest monsoon, resulting in the spillage of fuel, plastic particles, and hazardous cargo containers into the sea. Due to the intensifying southwest monsoon, plastic debris, containers, and other materials have been drifting and washing ashore along the coasts of Kerala and the southern coastal regions of Kanyakumari district. The ship's sinking has left a trail of debris along the Kerala coastline. Several containers from the vessel have washed ashore in various locations, including the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Efforts are being made to remove them. The vessel, carrying 24 crew members, had reported technical issues and was tilting soon after departing from Vizhinjam port. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard responded promptly to the distress call, deploying ships INS Satpura and INS Sujatha to the scene. Despite adverse weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 40 knots and debris in the water, the Coast Guard successfully rescued all 24 crew members. The crew member attributed the incident to a technical problem with some systems, rather than a collision. They mentioned that the situation worsened due to adverse weather conditions and the age of the vessel. Earlier, a meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak with officials and district collectors in the background of the sinking of the Liberian container ship MSC ELSA 3 off the Kochi coast. The ship completely sank 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottapalli spillway. About 100 containers may have fallen into the sea. The ship's fuel oil has also leaked. However, all the crew members of the ship have been rescued. (ANI)
India Gazette
28-05-2025
- General
- India Gazette
Container from the sunken ship MSC ELSA 3 washes ashore at Kollam Coast: removal underway
Kochi (Kerala) [India], May 28 (ANI): The Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3, which sank off the Kochi coast on May 24, has left a trail of debris along the Kerala coastline. Several containers from the vessel have washed ashore in various locations, including Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Efforts are being made for its removal. The vessel, carrying 24 crew members, had reported technical issues and was tilting soon after departing from Vizhinjam. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard responded promptly to the distress call, deploying ships INS Satpura and INS Sujatha to the scene. Despite adverse weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 40 knots and debris in the water, the Coast Guard successfully rescued all 24 crew members. A crew member of the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 expressed gratitude to the Indian Coast Guard for their prompt rescue efforts after the vessel sank off the Kochi coast. 'We thank the Coast Guard for saving us. They have been caring for us since yesterday, and their monitoring and communication have been excellent. We're survivors because of their timely intervention, and it's a good job. Thank you very much.' The crew member attributed the incident to a technical problem with some systems, rather than a collision. They mentioned that the situation worsened due to adverse weather conditions and the age of the vessel. The Indian Coast Guard received a distress call from the vessel on May 24 at 12:15 hours. They promptly responded to the call and rescued all 24 crew members, administering first aid to those in need. The crew member praised the Coast Guard's professionalism and good communication, saying, 'We're all healthy and good, thanks to them.' 'Efforts are currently underway to respond to the oil spill with the assistance of multiple ICG assets. The situation regarding the oil spill is currently managed and under close observation by @ of 1330 hr today, no oil has made its way to the shores of #Kerala state,' shared PRO Defence Kochi on their Twitter (X). Earlier, a meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak with officials and district collectors in the background of the sinking of the Liberian container ship MSC ELSA 3 off the Kochi coast. The ship completely sank 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottapalli spillway. About 100 containers may have fallen into the sea. The ship's fuel oil has also leaked. However, all the crew members of the ship have been rescued. (ANI)
Time of India
27-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
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.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Coast Guard battles to contain oil & chemical spill off Kerala
KOCHI: The Kerala govt issued a statewide alert Sunday as Coast Guard teams battled to contain a potentially worsening spill of oil and hazardous chemicals from Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 that capsized and sank in the Arabian Sea, 14.6 nautical miles off Thottappally harbour in Alappuzha, in the morning. The vessel carrying 643 containers - 13 of them bearing hazardous cargo - had sent out distress signals around 1.25pm Saturday when it was 38 nautical miles from Kochi. Coast Guard responded immediately and evacuated 21 crew members. By the time MSC ELSA 3 started capsizing closer to the harbour around 7.50am Sunday, Indian Navy vessel INS Sujatha rescued the last three crew members.
