The MV Wan Hai 503, a cargo vessel flying the Singapore flag, is currently ablaze off the coast of Kerala, India. The Indian Coast Guard is actively engaged in dousing the flames that erupted early Monday due to an internal container explosion while the ship was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mumbai, India.
As of now, 18 of the 22 crew members have been successfully rescued, while efforts continue to locate four individuals still unaccounted for. Among the missing are two crew members from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority has dispatched a team to assist in these ongoing rescue operations.
Footage captured during the incident shows the ship engulfed in thick smoke as both the Indian Navy and Coast Guard work tirelessly to extinguish the fire, which has reportedly fueled further explosions onboard. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued alerts for potential oil spills and drifting debris along Kerala's coast, with 50 containers from the ship having fallen into the sea.
Earlier this month, Kerala's coastal region faced a similar crisis when another vessel, a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, sank and leaked harmful substances, raising serious concerns about the safety of local communities and marine ecosystems. In response, the state government had imposed a fishing ban within a 20-nautical mile radius of that wreck and offered compensation to affected fishing families.
With Kerala’s coast known for its rich biodiversity and tourism significance, the potential for environmental harm from this latest incident is a pressing concern for local authorities and residents alike.
As of now, 18 of the 22 crew members have been successfully rescued, while efforts continue to locate four individuals still unaccounted for. Among the missing are two crew members from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority has dispatched a team to assist in these ongoing rescue operations.
Footage captured during the incident shows the ship engulfed in thick smoke as both the Indian Navy and Coast Guard work tirelessly to extinguish the fire, which has reportedly fueled further explosions onboard. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued alerts for potential oil spills and drifting debris along Kerala's coast, with 50 containers from the ship having fallen into the sea.
Earlier this month, Kerala's coastal region faced a similar crisis when another vessel, a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, sank and leaked harmful substances, raising serious concerns about the safety of local communities and marine ecosystems. In response, the state government had imposed a fishing ban within a 20-nautical mile radius of that wreck and offered compensation to affected fishing families.
With Kerala’s coast known for its rich biodiversity and tourism significance, the potential for environmental harm from this latest incident is a pressing concern for local authorities and residents alike.
