PM Modi to visit Bikaner airbase tomorrow
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In a powerful tribute to India's ancient seafaring tradition, the Indian Navy unveiled the 'Ancient Stitched Ship' on May 21, 2025, at Karwar Naval Base.
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NDTV
31 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Gratitude To Indian Navy": China On Swift Rescue Of Fire-Hit Cargo Ship
Beijing: China has expressed gratitude to India for successfully rescuing the crew of the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel MV Wan Hai 503 that caught fire off the Kerala coast on June 9. Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, Yu Jing, took to X and said that of the 22 people on board the vessel, 14 were Chinese nationals, as she thanked the Indian Navy and Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt actions. "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 and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue," Yu Jing wrote on X. 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… — Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) June 10, 2025 Of the 22 crew members on board the ship, four people are missing, five were injured, while 18 others were rescued. China said it wishes further search operations to be successful, and the injured crew members have a speedy recovery. The explosion occurred while the vessel was en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva near Mumbai. It experienced an explosion in one of its containers, sparking a massive onboard fire while sailing roughly 70 nautical miles off Kozhikode. The vessel is currently adrift. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has activated its Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT) to track possible drift patterns of containers, debris, or people who may have gone overboard. The INCOIS has also warned of a potential oil spill. Though the exact quantity of any spillage is still unknown, forecast simulations suggest the oil would drift parallel to the coastline from June 10 through June 13, with continuous monitoring underway. Local authorities have been urged to step up coastal surveillance and prepare communities for possible navigational or shoreline hazards.
Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Taiwan lauds Indian Navy, Coast Guard for rescuing Wan Hai 503 crew
The Taiwan Government has expressed gratitude to the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for their swift rescue operation involving the merchant vessel Wan Hai 503. In a post on X, Taiwan in India stated, 'The Taiwan Government is grateful for the swift rescue operation provided by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to Wan Hai 503. We wish the missing crew members return safe and the injured recover soon.' The appreciation comes as 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 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. 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. The vessel was carrying containerised cargo and had 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 Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Singapore-flagged cargo ship fire: Heavy rain slows down rescue efforts
The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) continued to battle the fire and explosions on the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 that started on June 9. However, the adverse weather conditions have slowed down the operations considerably. Official sources say that the fire and explosions were particularly concentrated from mid-ships to the container bay ahead of the accommodation block. Navy sources said that the smoke has subsided to some level as a result of the heavy rain in the sea but that the fire was still not under control. Besides, the ship is tilting approximately 10-15 degrees to the left side, as a result of which around 50 containers have fallen overboard. Of the 22 crew members on board, 18 were rescued by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. However, four crew members remain missing (two from Taiwan, one from Indonesia, and one from Myanmar). Search and rescue operations are ongoing, supported by aircraft and multiple Indian naval and coast guard vessels. Of the five injured members of the crew undergoing treatment at Mangaluru, a Chinese national has been discharged while two others are still in the intensive care unit. Meanwhile, the vessel was carrying hazardous cargo, including environmentally hazardous substances, resin solutions, flammable liquids, pesticides, and other chemicals, that have raised significant environmental concerns, especially regarding a potential oil spill and the impact on marine life along the Kerala coastline. The containers that fell overboard are reportedly drifting south and more likely to hit the shores of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka rather than anywhere in Kerala. However, the extent of damage that the dangerous chemicals could cause, if they are exposed to the sea water, is yet to be assessed. The Indian Coast Guard and the Navy are actively engaged in firefighting operations and boundary cooling. Two tugs are expected to reach the site, and salvors are also arriving. The immediate concern is on containing the drift and stabilizing the vessel. Meanwhile, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has sent a team to support the Indian authorities in the rescue and investigation efforts. China has expressed gratitude for India's swift response, as 14 of the crew members are Chinese nationals (including 6 from Taiwan). The authorities have denied permission for the vessel to be docked at any of the Indian ports and the shipping firm has been instructed to take it off Indian waters after the fire is doused. Alert in coastal areas Meanwhile, the Kerala government has issued a high alert in its coastal areas and advised fishermen not to venture near the site. Water samples and sediments are being collected and tested from coastal waters to assess any environmental impact.
