Dangerous containers, tonnes of oil and one sunken ship spark Kerala alert
An oil spill occurred off the Kerala coast after a container ship sank. The Indian Coast Guard is working to contain the spill. The ship was carrying hazardous cargo, including calcium carbide. Coastal areas are on high alert. People are warned against approaching any containers washed ashore. The ship sank due to flooding southwest of Kochi.
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The Indian Coast Guard is working to contain an oil spill after a Liberian-flagged container ship, the MSC ELSA 3 , sank off Kerala's southern coast on Sunday, raising fears of an ecological disaster due to hazardous cargo and large quantities of fuel onboard.The 184-metre-long freight vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials and 12 containing calcium carbide, a chemical used in fertiliser production and steelmaking. It was also loaded with 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil. Kerala's state government said the Coast Guard had deployed two ships to stop the spread of oil, while a Dornier aircraft was spraying dust to destroy the spill.The ship was en route between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi when it began experiencing trouble on Saturday, developing a critical 26-degree tilt or 'starboard list'. Located around 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, it issued a distress call to Indian authorities on May 24 after losing stability. It eventually capsized and sank the next day, May 25.All 24 crew members were rescued. The crew consisted of one Russian national, who was the ship's Master, 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian. The Indian Coast Guard rescued 21 crew members on May 24, while the remaining three were rescued by INS Sujata after the ship had capsized.India's defence ministry said the vessel sank 'due to flooding' and warned that the situation posed a threat to the 'sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala's coast.'In response, Kerala's government has declared a statewide emergency and convened a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary A Jayathilak. The meeting led to a statewide alert being issued, particularly to the coastal districts.Authorities have warned of potential environmental fallout. Fishermen have been asked to stay ashore, and the public has been advised not to touch or approach any containers or oil slicks that may wash up on beaches. Some containers have already drifted to shore. The official advisory states: 'Maintain a minimum distance of 200 metres and inform the emergency number 112.'The incident has triggered urgent action at both state and central levels. The presence of 13 containers with hazardous cargo, including calcium carbide, has heightened concern, as exposure could pose serious health and environmental risks. The government is monitoring the coast closely as the clean-up and containment efforts continue.The Coast Guard's rapid deployment of ships and aircraft signals the seriousness of the response, but the situation remains fluid. With the spill already reaching the coastline and containers drifting ashore, authorities are racing to prevent further damage to Kerala's coastal ecosystem and communities.The cause of the vessel's sudden loss of stability and the safety of its cargo are likely to come under scrutiny, even as recovery and containment take priority. The central and state governments remain on high alert, with emergency measures underway to handle any escalation in the crisis.
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