Fire continues, more containers fall from Singapore-flagged vessel
Kochi: Fire continued onboard the Singapore-flagged vessel MV Wan Hai 503 on Tuesday, even as
Indian Coast Guard
(ICG) ships persisted in efforts to douse the blaze. The intensity of the fire reduced by Tuesday evening, but the density of the smoke has since increased, said an official source.
The vessel, adrift 44 nautical miles off the Azhikkal coast, has listed approximately 10 to 15 degrees to port and more containers have reportedly fallen overboard, ICG said.
While 18 crew members were rescued and brought to Mangaluru late Monday, four remain unaccounted for. The crew included eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese and three Indonesian nationals. Among the rescued, two are reported to be in critical condition, while four sustained minor injuries.
Meanwhile, Chinese Embassy in India spokesperson Yu Jing expressed gratitude to Indian Navy and Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue of the crew members.
The vessel was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, when it encountered an onboard explosion on Monday. According to its cargo manifest, the ship is carrying "dangerous" cargo as per International Maritime Organisation (IMO) classification in as many as 157 containers, which include flammable, spontaneously combustible substances and toxic chemicals.
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Fire and explosions have continued from the midship area to the container bay ahead of the accommodation block. The fire in the forward bay is under control, though thick smoke remains, ICG said. ICG ships Samudra Prahari and Sachet have been conducting firefighting and boundary cooling operations since Monday. ICG ship Samarth, along with salvors, joined the efforts on Tuesday. Official sources said the three vessels would continue operations overnight, while a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft is conducting aerial surveillance.
Indian Navy's INS Sutlej, which joined the search and rescue efforts on Monday, proceeded on Tuesday to conduct survey operations of the Liberian-flagged MSC Elsa 3, which sank off Thottappally in Alappuzha on May 25.
A high-level virtual meeting of various stakeholders was convened to assess the situation. Representatives from the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Ports, Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, shipowners, salvors, Kerala Maritime Board, State Pollution Control Board and State Disaster Management Authority participated in the meeting.
"Similar meetings have been held every other day since the sinking of MSC Elsa 3. Tuesday's meeting reviewed the fire on MV Wan Hai 503. The vessels of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard are doing their level best, but a positive outcome is highly unlikely as the fire continues to rage and spread. Since there are containers drifting around the vessel, firefighting vessels are struggling to pump water from a close range. At the same time, there are flammable substances in the containers," said an official source.
Kerala Maritime Board chairman N S Pillai said that the state govt currently has no major role other than to facilitate ongoing efforts. The govt's role would primarily involve mitigating the impact of the fallen containers, which may reach the shore, cause pollution and affect the fisherfolk.
(With agency inputs)
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