Liberian Cargo Ship Sinks Near Kerala Coast, All 24 Crew Onboard Rescued
Kochi:
A Liberian cargo ship carrying 640 containers onboard, including 13 hazardous cargoes, has capsized and sunk in the sea off the coast of Kerala, officials said on Sunday, raising fears of environmental damage.
"In the early hours of 25 May, MSC ELSA 3 listed rapidly and capsized at position 09°18.76'N 076°08.12'E and sank," a Coast Guard statement said on Sunday.
It said the three remaining crew abandoned the sinking vessel and were rescued by INS Sujata, which joined operations last evening.
The ICG said the ship Saksham, equipped with pollution response equipment, has been positioned at the scene to respond to any oil spill scenario.
Of the 640 containers onboard, 13 contained hazardous cargo, while 12 containers with calcium carbide were present, it said.
"The ship had in its tanks 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil," the ICG said.
All 24 crew members ex Liberian-flagged container Vessel MSC ELSA 3 rescued safely, 21 by @IndiaCoastGuard & 03 by @indiannavy Ship Sujata after vessel sank off #Kochi this morning. Vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 containing hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium… pic.twitter.com/990qmogVJR
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 25, 2025
Noting that the sensitive coast of Kerala is home to both vivid biodiversity and is a major tourist attraction, it further said the ICG has geared up pollution response preparedness and coordination with the state administration for all possible scenarios.
"ICG aircraft with advanced oil spill mapping technology are undertaking an assessment of the situation. Presently, no oil spill has been reported," it added.
The Indian Coast Guard also said it is fully geared to respond to the emerging scenario and is closely monitoring the environmental impact in the aftermath of the sinking of MSC ELSA 3.
The development comes amid intense efforts by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, which were exploring methods to assist in towing the vessel.
The Liberian container ship, carrying marine fuel, listed several degrees about 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on Saturday, causing its cargo to spill into the sea.
A Defence PRO said another vessel from the parent company had reached the area as part of the assistance efforts.
Earlier, authorities had stated that out of the 24 crew members on board, 21 were rescued, while three remained onboard as per instructions from the company.
He added that the Coast Guard, which spearheaded the rescue operation, and Indian Navy ships are maintaining their positions in the area and monitoring the situation.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has cautioned the general public against touching any cargo containers or oil spills that may wash ashore.
They have also urged people to immediately inform the police if they spot any containers or oil on the shore. The 184-metre-long vessel, MSC ELSA 3, departed for Kochi from Vizhinjam port on Friday.
At around 1.25 p.m. on May 24, the company owning the ship informed Indian authorities that it was listing by 26 degrees and sought urgent assistance.
The Coast Guard was coordinating rescue operations by maintaining ships and aircraft near the distressed vessel.
The vessel's 24-member crew comprises one Russian (the Master), 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian national.
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, there is a possibility that cargo --including containers and oil-- may wash ashore. KSDMA also warned that oil films could appear along parts of the coast.
The Coast Guard has confirmed that the vessel was carrying Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
22 crew members rescued from lifeboat in North Pacific after ship carrying 3,000 cars catches fire
ANCHORAGE: The crew of a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned ship after they could not control a fire aboard the vessel in waters off Alaska's Aleutian island chain. A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship's stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles Tuesday, according to US coast guard photos and a Wednesday statement from the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime. There were no reported injuries among the 22 crew members of the Morning Midas. Crew members abandoned ship, were evacuated onto a lifeboat and rescued by the crew of a nearby merchant vessel called the Cosco Hellas in the North Pacific, roughly 490 kilometers southwest of Adak Island. Adak is about 1,930 kilometers west of Anchorage, the state's largest city. The crew initiated emergency firefighting procedures with the ship's onboard fire suppression system. But they were unable bring the flames under control. "The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations," Zodiac Maritime said in a statement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment." The US coast guard said it sent aircrews to Adak and a ship to the area. The status of the fire onboard the ship was unknown as of Wednesday afternoon, but smoke was still emanating from it, according to the coast guard. Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the coast guard's seventeenth district, said in a statement that as the search and rescue part of the response concluded, the coast guard was working with Zodiac Maritime to determine how to recover the ship and what will be done with it. "We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives," Dean said. The 183 metre Morning Midas, a car and truck carrier, was built in 2006 and sails under a Liberian flag. The cars left Yantai, China, on May 26, according to the industry site They were being shipped to Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico. Earlier this month, a Dutch safety board called for improving emergency response on North Sea shipping routes after a deadly 2023 fire on a freighter that was carrying 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. That fire killed one person, injured others and burned out of control for a week, and the ship was eventually towed to a port in the northern Netherlands for salvage. The accident increased the focus on safety issues on the open sea and on containers that fall off the massive freighters, which have increased in size dramatically in recent decades. More than 80% of international trade by volume now arrives by sea, and the largest container vessels are longer than three football fields.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
27 Containers moved to Kollam Port after cargo ship sinking
Thiruvananthapuram: Following the sinking of the cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, 27 containers that washed ashore in Kollam were moved to Kollam Port, said district collector N Devidas after a review meeting at the district collectorate. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials were tasked with assessing the damage caused to the fishermen and submitting a report, the collector said. The irrigation department is required to compile information on the damaged sea walls. The fisheries department is responsible for providing details of fishermen who own damaged nets and equipment. Village officers were assigned to estimate losses incurred by private individuals, he added. The containers with hazardous materials were not identified. A total of 44 containers reached Kollam and Karunagappally taluk areas, with 28 of them empty. The contents of four containers are under inspection. The remaining containers include items like green tea, newsprint, craft paper and paperboard. Recovery efforts are currently focused on Ozhukuthodu, Thirumullavaram, Kappil Beach and Neendakara, Devidas said. Under the pollution control board's guidance, the civil defence volunteers were cleaning the coastal areas where the containers washed ashore. Plastic bags from the region between Mundakkal and Thanni were removed and other waste in the Shaktikulangara area is being cleared. The board also collected samples for further examination. Although no oil spills were detected, all precautionary measures have been taken. Training was provided to officials and volunteers with the cooperation of the Indian Coast Guard. The recovery operations are being conducted by MERC (Maritime Emergency Response Centre) Private Ltd. The meeting held at the district collector's chamber was attended by ADM G Nirmal Kumar, sub-collector Nishant Sihara and other district-level officials.
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Ship capsize: Plea seeks rehab package
Kochi: A PIL has been filed in HC by former MP T N Prathapan seeking a comprehensive compensation and rehabilitation package for the fishermen and other stakeholders affected by the capsize of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA-3 off the Kerala coast. A bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji will consider the petition on Thursday. The petitioner alleged that the incident led to an oil spill and the discharge of toxic substances, including calcium carbide and nurdles, causing severe damage to the marine ecosystem and traditional fishing communities. The petition contends that the Kerala state pollution control board has a statutory duty to prepare and implement an effective oil spill disaster contingency plan. It further seeks a directive to the central and state govts to constitute a high-level expert committee to assess the environmental damage, recommend restoration measures, and initiate legal action against the shipowner and insurer under relevant international conventions and national laws.
