Fire breaks out on Singapore-flagged vessel off Kannur coast; 18 rescued, 4 missing
Kozhikode/Kochi: A major fire broke out on board a Singapore-flagged vessel, MV Wan Hai 503, after a container explosion 44 nautical miles off the Azhikkal coast in Kannur on Monday, barely two weeks after a container ship sank off Thottappilly, Alappuzha.
Eighteen crew members were rescued, while four are missing.
The vessel, which departed from the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, with 22 crew onboard on Friday, was estimated to reach the Nhava Sheva Port, Mumbai, on Tuesday.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) received a distress alert about the explosion and fire in one of its containers around 9.30am. "Of the 18 rescued crew, one is reported to have sustained serious injuries.
Four crew members, including two Taiwanese, one Indonesian and one Myanmarese, are missing from the time of the explosion," a statement said.
As per the cargo manifest of the ship accessed by TOI, the vessel carries "dangerous" cargo as per IMO (International Maritime Organisation) classification in as many as 157 containers. These include flammable substances, spontaneously combustible substances and toxic chemicals like pesticides, raising concerns of environmental damage in the Arabian Sea.
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The ICG assets, diverted immediately upon receipt of information, were coordinating the rescue operations. As of 12.40 pm, the resulting fire spread to other containers, and the crew abandoned the vessel in life rafts. INS Surat, diverted by the Indian Navy, rescued 18 survivors and took them to Mangalore port for disembarkation and further procedures by evening.
The incident occurred around 9.20am, around 88 nautical miles off Beypore and 130 nautical miles northwest of Kochi.
An official statement said preliminary reports suggested that 1,015 containers have fallen overboard. The crew members included eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese and three Indonesian nationals.
Besides two Dornier aircraft equipped with life rafts for aerial surveillance and situational assessment, the ICG has mobilised five ships, including specialised firefighting and pollution response vessels, to the incident site.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai, has activated the International Safety Net (ISN), prompting nearby merchant vessels MV Ambra and MV One Marvel to assist in the rescue effort.
The distress alert was initially relayed by MV Cape Valencia to MRCC Mumbai. The vessel continues to emit dense smoke, and the onboard fire poses a risk of further explosions and structural failure. Maritime traffic in the area has been advised to maintain a safe distance from the vessel.
The Flag Administration of Singapore has also been formally notified.
The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), India, has instructed the ship's owners to immediately engage qualified salvors and firefighting experts. They have also been instructed to provide two-hourly updates until the situation is stabilised, a statement said.
According to ICG, the vessel was adrift as of Monday evening, and firefighting efforts were ongoing. The details of the cargo onboard are being ascertained to determine the nature of the fire and the potential risks involved during firefighting operations. Efforts will also be undertaken to deter the vessel from closing in on the coast, it said.
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