High-seas rescue: Crew abandon flaming cargo ship off India
The Indian Coast Guard deployed four vessels to rescue crew members from the burning Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, which was on fire approximately 144 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Kerala in southern India.
The crew reported an explosion followed by a fire onboard on Monday morning. The cause of the explosion remains unclear.
Video footage captured from a Coast Guard aircraft showed large plumes of black smoke billowing from the vessel.
Crew members jump overboard to escape flames
The fire reportedly spread to multiple containers, prompting the crew to abandon ship and take to life rafts.
"According to preliminary information ... there were 22 workers on board the ship ... 18 jumped into the sea and are in rescue boats. Efforts are underway to rescue them," said Shekhar Kuriakose, secretary of the state's disaster management authority, according to Reuters.
One of the rescued sailors is reported to have sustained serious injuries.
Four crew members, a Taiwanese national, two Indonesians, and one from Myanmar are still unaccounted for, with a search operation currently underway.
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Times of Oman
6 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Indian Coast Guard working to combat fire on Singapore-flagged container ship
Kochi: The Indian Coast Guard is continuously working to combat the fire that engulfed the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503. 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. According to the Indian Coast Guard, as of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, the flames on the container ship were reduced, as thick smoke continued to emanate. "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 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 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 speedy recovery," Yu Jing posted on X. Four crew members were reported missing and five injured after an explosion under deck was reported onboard MV WAN HAI 503 while it was on passage from Colombo to Nhava Sheva. Indian Coast Guard ships have been deployed for firefighting and rescue operations. 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. The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Surat, carrying the rescued crew members who sustained injuries in the vessel fire, had arrived at the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), Panambur. According to Plastic Surgeon Kadam, the six rescuees are from multiple nationalities, including Chinese and Indonesian. Of the six rescued crew members, two have suffered critical injuries. "We have received six patients. All of them have burns. Three are Chinese nationals, two are from Burma (Myanmar), and one is from Indonesia. Two are critically injured with 35-40 per cent burns. Mainly, they have airway burns, that is, respiratory burns, which are much more severe. They have breathing problems. We have to monitor closely over a few days and see how they do. Right now, we're giving all the attention and critical care," Kadam told reporters here. According to the Indian Navy, the vessel carried 22 crew members, including eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese, and three Indonesian nationals. Following the explosion and escalation of the fire, the crew abandoned the ship. The MV reported an internal container explosion and a major fire onboard. The vessel was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva, Mumbai, and its expected arrival time (ETA) was June 10.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
High-seas rescue: Crew abandon flaming cargo ship off India
The Indian Coast Guard deployed four vessels to rescue crew members from the burning Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, which was on fire approximately 144 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Kerala in southern India. The crew reported an explosion followed by a fire onboard on Monday morning. The cause of the explosion remains unclear. Video footage captured from a Coast Guard aircraft showed large plumes of black smoke billowing from the vessel. Crew members jump overboard to escape flames The fire reportedly spread to multiple containers, prompting the crew to abandon ship and take to life rafts. "According to preliminary information ... there were 22 workers on board the ship ... 18 jumped into the sea and are in rescue boats. Efforts are underway to rescue them," said Shekhar Kuriakose, secretary of the state's disaster management authority, according to Reuters. One of the rescued sailors is reported to have sustained serious injuries. Four crew members, a Taiwanese national, two Indonesians, and one from Myanmar are still unaccounted for, with a search operation currently underway.
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11 dead, 33 injured in Bengaluru stampede, Indian PM tweets condolences
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