NEW DELHI – An explosion and fire were reported on a container ship, the MV Wan Hai 503, off the coast of Kerala, India, on Monday, according to a spokesperson for the Indian Coast Guard.
Of the 22 crew members, 18 were evacuated with the assistance of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, as stated by Commander Amit Uniyal. Unfortunately, one crew member suffered serious injuries. The remaining four crew members include two Taiwanese nationals, one from Indonesia, and one from Myanmar.
The Navy and Coast Guard have initiated a search operation, utilizing Dornier aircraft, which are mainly deployed for maritime surveillance and rescue efforts. Several ships were also dispatched to help contain the fire, which was situated about 88 nautical miles from the Kerala coast.
“The vessels are currently drifting, and firefighting efforts are ongoing to manage the situation,” Uniyal mentioned. “Our priority remains saving crew members while minimizing the risks posed by fire and other hazardous conditions.”
Authorities are also looking into the ship’s cargo to assess potential risks. The 890-foot vessel was expected to depart from Colombo Port in Sri Lanka on June 7 and was due to arrive in Mumbai on the same day as the incident.
According to reports, the Coast Guard received a distress signal early Monday, indicating the explosion and subsequent fire starting in one section of the ship. The blaze then spread to other containers.
As of now, the cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation.
Singapore authorities confirmed that the vessel is managed by Wan High Line, a company based in Singapore. Notably, there was a recent incident involving the MSC Elsa 3 container ship sinking about 38 nautical miles from Kerala, prompting the state government to issue heightened vigilance along the coast and advising fishermen to steer clear of areas with potentially dangerous cargo.
