Kerala ship explosion: 157 containers contained hazardous materials, coast on alert

An official at Azhikkal Port, located just 44 nautical miles from the incident site, confirmed receiving alerts about four categories of dangerous substances, including chemicals that are prone to spontaneous combustion.

Kozhikode: The current status of the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Wan Hai 503, which caught fire near the Kerala coast, has been communicated to both Indian and Singaporean maritime authorities. The vessel, operated by BSM, is now under close watch, with India’s Ministry of Shipping reaching out to the company for further updates.

Authorities have raised concern over the cargo, as preliminary information suggests that 157 containers on board contain hazardous materials—including various acids, lithium batteries, turpentine, and gunpowder—all of which are highly flammable. An official at Azhikkal Port, located just 44 nautical miles from the incident site, confirmed receiving alerts about four categories of dangerous substances, including chemicals that are prone to spontaneous combustion. However, the company managing the vessel has not yet released a detailed inventory of the container contents.

The fire and explosion occurred on the international shipping route between Azhikkal and Beypore. The Singaporean ship, en route from Colombo to Navi Mumbai, met with the accident around 9:30 am. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard rescued 18 people, including the captain. Four crew members remain missing, and five suffered burns, two critically. The injured, along with other crew members, are likely to be taken to Mangalore. The shipping company has contacted private hospitals in Kannur and Kozhikode. Ambulances and other facilities are ready at Beypore and Azhikode ports.

Hospitals Prepared

The Kozhikode Collector confirmed that instructions have been issued to officials to be prepared to receive the injured. Notifications have been sent to Elathur, Beypore, and Vadakara coastal police stations; Kozhikode city and rural police stations; the Port Officer of Fisheries, Kozhikode, Koyilandy, and Vadakara TEOs. The health department has also been alerted for medical assistance.