"Require some more time in the ICU": AJ Hospital doctor gives health update of crew members rescued in MV Wan Hai 503 ship explosion

India Gazette

12-06-2025

Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 12 (ANI): Following the rescue of 18 crew members in the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 ship explosion, six of them were admitted to the AJ Hospital in Mangaluru on Tuesday.
According to plastic surgeon Dr Dinesh Kadam, a Chinese national with 40 per cent burns and an Indonesian citizen in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) are being closely monitored. Both patients require more time in the ICU, whereas the condition of the other four crew members is stable.
One of the crew members will be discharged from the hospital, whereas others will stay because of the impact and facial burns caused due to the accident.
'A Chinese national with 40% burns and an Indonesian national are in ICU and are being closely monitored. Their vitals are stable though they require some more time in the ICU... All the other four are stable and one of them is being discharged while the others will stay in the hospital as they have some impact and facial burns', Dr Dinesh Kadam said in a self-made video.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Wednesday 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 south-east 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. (ANI)