Efforts continue by Indian authorities to extinguish a fire on the MV Wan Hai 503, which has left four crew members missing. While 18 were rescued, the situation raises environmental concerns due to potential oil spills from the vessel.
Search Ongoing for Four Missing Crew Members as Cargo Ship Blaze Rages Off India
Search Ongoing for Four Missing Crew Members as Cargo Ship Blaze Rages Off India
The MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, caught fire off the Kerala coast, leading to a major search operation for four missing crew members.
In a distressing incident, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard are grappling with a significant fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, in the Arabian Sea off the southern coast of Kerala. The blaze erupted on Monday after an internal explosion in one of the ship's containers, sparking a major emergency response.
Of the 22 crew members aboard, 18 have been successfully rescued, with measures underway to locate the four who remain unaccounted for. Among the missing crew are two from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. The rescue operations received a boost as Singapore deployed a team to assist the Indian authorities in the search effort.
Visual reports on Tuesday displayed rising black smoke plumes emanating from the MV Wan Hai 503, as the Coast Guard reported that residual fires and explosions could still be detected on the vessel. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued notifications regarding a potential oil spill, following reports that the ship was carrying around 100 tonnes of bunker oil.
Additionally, Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan reported that at least 50 containers from the ship have fallen into the sea, creating further concerns as they drift along the Kerala coast. INCOIS indicated that these containers may approach the coastline within the next three days, raising alarms about environmental risks.
This incident marks the second serious maritime crisis off Kerala in recent weeks, recalling a previous case where a Liberian-flagged vessel sank, leading to fears for local marine life and community health. In light of these concerns, the state government previously imposed a fishing ban within a 20-nautical mile radius of the wreckage and promised compensation to affected fishing communities across four districts. Kerala's ecological diversity and tourism reliance make the implications of such shipping incidents particularly critical to address.
Of the 22 crew members aboard, 18 have been successfully rescued, with measures underway to locate the four who remain unaccounted for. Among the missing crew are two from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. The rescue operations received a boost as Singapore deployed a team to assist the Indian authorities in the search effort.
Visual reports on Tuesday displayed rising black smoke plumes emanating from the MV Wan Hai 503, as the Coast Guard reported that residual fires and explosions could still be detected on the vessel. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued notifications regarding a potential oil spill, following reports that the ship was carrying around 100 tonnes of bunker oil.
Additionally, Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan reported that at least 50 containers from the ship have fallen into the sea, creating further concerns as they drift along the Kerala coast. INCOIS indicated that these containers may approach the coastline within the next three days, raising alarms about environmental risks.
This incident marks the second serious maritime crisis off Kerala in recent weeks, recalling a previous case where a Liberian-flagged vessel sank, leading to fears for local marine life and community health. In light of these concerns, the state government previously imposed a fishing ban within a 20-nautical mile radius of the wreckage and promised compensation to affected fishing communities across four districts. Kerala's ecological diversity and tourism reliance make the implications of such shipping incidents particularly critical to address.
