Singapore ship catches fire off Kerala coast, rescue operation underway

A container ship, MV Wan Hai 503, caught fire in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kozhikode, India. The ship was carrying flammable cargo, raising concerns. Five crew members have been rescued, while others remain missing.

Kozhikode: A container ship from Singapore, the MV Wan Hai 503, caught fire in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kozhikode. Reports indicate the vessel was carrying highly flammable cargo. Of the 22 people on board, 18 jumped into the sea. Five individuals have been rescued by the Navy using the ship's boats. The fire continues to burn, and Navy and Coast Guard ships are en route to the scene. At least 20 containers have fallen into the sea.

Four coast guard ships have headed to the location for containing the fire. The container vessel MV WAN HAI 503, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, experienced an explosion in its underdeck near position 315 Kochi 130. Following the incident, four crew members have been reported missing, while five others sustained injuries. The ship was carrying containerised cargo and had a total crew of 22 on board.

In response, the Indian Coast Guard deployed assets for immediate assessment and assistance. ICGS Rajdoot (stationed off New Mangalore), ICGS Arnvesh (off Kochi), and ICGS Sachet (off Agatti) have been diverted to aid in the emergency operations.

Kerala coast on alert

The State Disaster Management Authority reported that the vessel caught fire 144 km northwest of Kozhikode. This location is 70 nautical miles from Beypore and 40 nautical miles from Azhikkal. Several crew members have suffered burns. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the Ernakulam and Kozhikode District Collectors to make necessary arrangements for medical treatment of the crew upon their arrival on the Kerala coast. The contents of the containers that fell into the sea are unknown.