Kochi (Kerala) [India], June 11 (ANI): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Thursday winched five salvage team members and an aircrew diver onto the burning Singaporean container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 to facilitate towing operations.
According to an official release from the Ministry of Defence, the vessel, which caught fire off the Kerala coast on June 9, continues to drift southeast within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), approximately 42 nautical miles from Beypore, Kerala.
The vessel is carrying 1.2 lakh metric tons of fuel and hundreds of containers, including hazardous cargo, posing a serious risk to the marine environment and regional shipping routes.
“Intensive firefighting efforts by ICG have significantly reduced visible flames, with only smoke now seen across the cargo holds and bays. However, the fire remains active in the inner decks and near fuel tanks,” the release stated.
“Five ICG ships, two Dornier aircraft, and a helicopter are engaged in the ongoing firefighting mission, supported by two vessels from the Directorate General of Shipping. A salvage team appointed by the ship’s owners is working in coordination with ICG, and the Indian Air Force has been requested for additional aerial support,” it added.
With the fire yet to be fully extinguished, efforts to establish a towline and pull the vessel away from the coast are underway to prevent a potential ecological disaster. The situation remains critical and is being monitored continuously.
Indian Coast Guard Battles Thick Smoke After Fire Breaks Out on Singapore-Flagged Container Ship
Indian Coast Guard ships on Wednesday continued to battle thick smoke after a massive blaze broke out aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 off the Kerala coast.
Thick plumes of smoke continue to billow from the ship, complicating efforts to douse the flames. According to the Indian Coast Guard, as of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, the flames on the container ship were reduced, though thick smoke continued to emanate.
It said attempts were being made to control the vessel fire that injured several crew members. Of the 22 crew members, 18 were rescued by the Indian Navy, while four are still missing.
“Indian Coast Guard ships continue to fight the fire and attempt to bring the inferno on the container ship MV Wan Hai 503 under control off the Kerala coast. Visible flames have reduced, and thick smoke continues to emanate as of 1700 hours today,” the Indian Coast Guard said.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in India spokesperson Yu Jing on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue of its crew members onboard the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503, which encountered an onboard explosion and fire 44 nautical miles off Kerala’s Azhikkal.
According to Yu Jing, Chinese and Taiwanese crew members were among those onboard MV Wan Hai. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson wished for successful search operations and speedy recovery for injured crew members.
“On June 9, MV Wan Hai 503 encountered an onboard explosion and fire 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, Kerala. Of the total 22 crew members on board, 14 are Chinese, including 6 from Taiwan. Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy @indiannavy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members a speedy recovery,” Yu Jing posted on X.
According to the Indian Coast Guard, four crew members were reported missing following the explosion on Monday, and five others sustained injuries. The vessel was carrying containerised cargo and had a total crew of 22 onboard. CGDO on task was diverted for assessment.
Of the 18 rescued crew members of the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503, six were brought to the AJ Hospital for medical treatment post-midnight on Tuesday. Dinesh Kadam, Plastic Surgeon at AJ Hospital, said that two rescuees had critical injuries with 35 to 40 per cent burns.
(ANI)
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