Singapore-flagged ship catches fire off Kerala coast, Navy steps in to rescue
Of the 22 crew members on the ship, 18 reportedly jumped into the sea and are currently in lifeboats. Efforts to rescue them are underway
An explosion was reported on board the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala on Monday morning (June 9), a Defence PRO said in Kochi. Four crew members were reported missing and five were injured, reported news agency ANI.
As per Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), the cargo ship has met with an accident in the high seas, approximately 144 kilometres northwest off the Kozhikode coast. Around 20 containers are reported to have fallen into the sea.
Also read | How Kerala is mobilising robust response to cargo ship wreckage crisis
The underdeck blast was first reported at around 10.30 am by the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai to their counterparts in Kochi.
The 270-metre-long vessel, with a draught of 12.5 metres, had left Colombo on June 7 and was en route to Mumbai, expected to arrive on June 10.
Immediate aid rushed
“On 09 Jun 25, at about 1030 h, MOC (Koc) received an information from MOC (Mbi) about a reported underdeck explosion onboard MV Wan Hai 503. The vessel is a Singapore Flag Container ship, 270 m long and draught 12.5m with LPC Colombo,” the PRO said in a communication.
He said in response, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which had been scheduled to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance. The Western Naval Command redirected the vessel at 11 am, the PRO said.
A Navy Dornier aircraft sortie is also being planned from the naval air station INS Garuda in Kochi to assess the situation and coordinate support.
Crew being rescued
Of the 22 crew members on the ship, 18 reportedly jumped into the sea and are currently in lifeboats. Efforts to rescue them are underway. The ship has not sunk as of now.
The Coast Guard and the Navy have set out towards the vessel for rescue operations.
In view of the possibility that the rescued crew might be brought to the Kerala coast, the chief minister has instructed the State Disaster Management Authority to direct the District Collectors of Ernakulam and Kozhikode to ensure necessary medical preparedness.
These are preliminary details as shared by the Coast Guard.
Second shipwreck
Meanwhile, as per Vessel Finder, the vessel was en route to the port of Nhava Sheva, India, sailing at a speed of 14.4 knots and expected to arrive there on Jun 10, 04:30. The vessel WAN HAI 503 (IMO 9294862, MMSI 563812000) is a Container Ship built in 2005 (20 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Singapore.
Also read | Kerala govt declares shipwreck off coast a state-specific disaster
It comes close on the heels of the shipwreck near the Kochi coast on May 25, which raised concerns about environmental impact after containers fell overboard.