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Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Liberian ship sinks; leaking oil, cargo hazard sparks alert in Kerala
A cargo vessel carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, sank off the Kerala coast on Sunday, triggering fears of environmental damage along the coastline that prompted the state government to issue an alert, officials said, adding that all 24 members of the ship's crew have been rescued. The Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 sank 14 nautical miles off the state's coast in the Arabian Sea around 7.50am on Sunday, almost a day after the ship developed a 26-degree starboard list –– marine term for tilt. The crew of the ship was rescued in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Navy, the ministry of defence said in a statement. The Elsa 3 is operated by MSC, one of the biggest shipping companies in the world, according to a listing on the company's website. Amid concerns of oil from the ship's fuel tanks affecting the sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala's coast, the ICG activated full pollution response preparedness, the ministry said. 'ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance and ICG ship Saksham carrying pollution response equipment remains deployed at the site,' it added. According to an ICG statement, the ship had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks along with the containers of hazardous cargo and calcium carbide –– a chemical that reacts dangerously with seawater to release highly flammable acetylene gas. The vessel, which departed for Kochi from Vizhinjam port on Friday, capsized due to flooding in one of the ship's holds. The coast guard rescued 21 of the vessel's 24 crew members –– including one Russian, 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian . The remaining members that stayed on board abandoned ship later and were rescued by INS Sujata. Coast Guard inspector general (Western region) Bhisham Sharma said, 'All crew remain safe and Coast Guard is assessing the situation and issuing an advisory to state authorities.' In the afternoon, Kerala chief secretary A Jayathilak convened a meeting to assess the situation. According to a release from the chief minister's office (CMO), the ship's fuel has started leaking and that around 100 containers may have fallen into the sea. 'Currently, the ICG is operating two vessels to prevent the oil from spilling and one Dornier aircraft to spray powder onto any spill. The containers drifting from the capsized vessel are likely to reach the coasts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts,' the release said. 'Since the oil spill can expand anywhere, warning alert has been issued throughout the coast of the state.' The state government urged the public not to touch foreign objects or containers in the sea or near the coast. Those spotting such containers must dial the policy emergency number 112, the release said. The state also prohibited fishing activities within a 20-nautical mile radius of the spot where the vessel capsized. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), based in Hyderabad, said the spilled oil pollutant can reach the coastal stretch of Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Arattupuzha and Karunagappally within 36-48 hours of release. 'These coastal zones are at risk of contamination and should be given prompt attention to minimise potential environmental impact,' the agency said. The agency also said that based on simulation results from its Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT), there is a 'high probability (45%) that overboard containers could drift towards a region covering the entire coastal district of Alappuzha'. To manage the floating containers, the state government has ordered the constitution of rapid response teams (RRTs) under its factories and boilers department. Two RRTs in districts south of Thrissur and one in the northern coastal districts have been formed to operate cranes and other machinery to manage containers in the sea and translocate them to safer areas, the statement from CMO said. Additional RRTs will be formed under the state pollution control board (PCB) if the oil spill nears the coast. The police and the state disaster management authority have been directed to provide assistance, it added. The administration said that ICG, Indian Navy and the ports department have been directed to deploy booms and skimmers for handling and removal of oil spills.
News18
25-05-2025
- General
- News18
Oil Spill Risk Puts Coastal Areas On Alert After Ship With Hazardous Cargo Sinks Off Kerala Coast
Last Updated: All crew members of Liberian-flagged container vessel, MSC ELSA 3, were rescued safely by the Indian authorities, however, the hazardous cargo aboard the vessel slid into the sea. All crew members aboard the Liberian-flagged container vessel, MSC ELSA 3, which started tilting off the coast of Kochi on Saturday, were rescued safely before the ship capsized completely. However, containers slid into the sea, risking the spilling of oil and triggering environmental damage concerns, officials said on Sunday. In the wake of the oil spill risk, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has issued an alert to the locals to refrain from touching any object that may drift towards the coast and to keep away from them to ensure safety. The three crew members had remained on the vessel as per the instructions from their company as the ship started tilting 38 nautical miles off Kochi's coast yesterday. The Indian authorities had earlier rescued 21 out of the 24 crew members on board, including 20 Filipinos, one Russian, a Georgian, and two Ukrainians. The remaining members were rescued by the Indian Navy ship. MSC Elsa 3's parent company had reached out to the Indian officials, seeking urgent assistance after the vessel initially started tilting by 26 degrees. The 184-metre ship had departed from the Vizhinjam port to Kochi on Friday. According to Coast Guard officials, they thought the ship would stabilise, however, water ingress led to its sinking. The remaining three crew members were saved by the Indian Navy ship INS Sujata. According to Coast Guard inspector general (Western region) Bhisham Sharma, the containers of the sunken ship were floating around and could damage other ships sailing in the region. 'These containers can come ashore," he said, adding that the Kerala Chief Secretary was convening a meeting to assess the magnitude of danger the containers could pose. The Coast Guard said it has taken full steps to deal with any possible pollution and is closely working with the state authorities to handle the situation. The Coast Guard carried out rescue efforts by keeping ships and aircraft near the ship in trouble. In a statement, it said that the MSC Elsa 3 left Vizhinjam Port on Friday and was supposed to reach Kochi by Saturday. The ship was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with dangerous materials. Twelve of those had calcium carbide. The ship also had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel in its tanks. First Published: May 25, 2025, 14:43 IST
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Indian Coast Guard's daring rescue op after foreign ship capsizes in middle of the sea
A Liberian-flagged cargo ship, MSC Elsa 3, capsized early Sunday morning off the coast of Kerala following severe flooding in one of its cargo holds, prompting a massive rescue and environmental response effort. The 184-metre vessel, operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), was en route from Vizhinjam Port to Kochi when it began listing sharply on May 24 due to inclement weather. The situation deteriorated rapidly, forcing 21 of the 24 crew members to abandon ship. Rescue operations conducted by the Indian Coast Guard and passing vessels saved all personnel onboard. Nine crew members were rescued Saturday by the Singapore-based vessel Han Yi, while 12 others were recovered by the Coast Guard ship Arnvesh. The remaining three - the captain (a Russian national), chief engineer, and second engineer - stayed aboard in accordance with company protocol but were later rescued under hazardous conditions by Indian Navy vessel INS Sujata early Sunday morning. 'We had thought that the ship would stabilise, but there was water ingress and she sank,' said Inspector General Bhisham Sharma, Western Region Coast Guard, in a statement to Hindustan Times. 'All crew are safe, and the Coast Guard is currently assessing the situation and issuing advisories to state authorities.' The vessel sank approximately 38 nautical miles off Kochi, unleashing hundreds of cargo containers - including some containing hazardous materials - into the Arabian Sea. The spill has sparked fears of environmental damage along Kerala's ecologically sensitive coastline. The ship was carrying a total of 640 containers, 13 of which contained hazardous cargo, including 12 containers filled with calcium carbide. Additionally, it held 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil. Though no oil spill has been officially reported so far, Coast Guard aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill mapping technology are conducting regular surveillance to monitor the area. The Indian Coast Guard has also ramped up pollution response preparedness in coordination with the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). KSDMA has warned the public not to approach or handle any washed-ashore containers or oil residues and to immediately report such sightings to the police. 'The sensitive coast of Kerala is home to both a vivid biodiversity as well as a major tourist attraction,' a Coast Guard spokesperson said. 'We are coordinating closely with the state administration to respond to all possible scenarios.' The Chief Secretary of Kerala has convened a high-level meeting at 11 am Sunday to evaluate the environmental risk posed by the floating containers, some of which may reach shorelines in the coming days. A support vessel from MSC has reportedly arrived in the area to assist, while Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships continue to maintain their presence around the sunken vessel, monitoring developments and evaluating the feasibility of any salvage operations.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Coast Guard rescues crew as Liberian cargo ship lists sharply off Kochi
MUMBAI: A large-scale rescue operation was launched on Saturday by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) after MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian cargo ship, listed dangerously on Friday, approximately 38 nautical miles southwest off Kochi. The ICG is headquartered in Mumbai. At around 1.25 pm on Saturday, the vessel's operator, MSC Ship Management, informed Indian authorities about the incident and sought immediate assistance. The ICG swiftly initiated rescue efforts, deploying ships and aircraft in the vicinity to provide aerial support. To support the evacuation process, ICG aircraft dropped additional life rafts near the distressed ship. Of the 24 crew members on board, 21 abandoned the vessel and got onto life rafts. Nine were rescued and put aboard a Singaporean vessel, Han Yi, while 12 were put on Arnvesh, an ICG ship. Coast Guard officials on Saturday night said they were planning to rescue the captain, chief engineer and second engineer who remained on board. 'They were reluctant to leave because they will be required once the salvage starts,' said Coast Guard inspector-general (West) Bhisham Sharma. 'We have told them that we can let them board again if the need arises.' The director-general of shipping, in coordination with ICG, issued directives to the MSC Ship Management to provide urgent salvage services for the vessel. The developing situation on Saturday was being monitored closely by the ICG to prevent loss of life and damage to the environment, said a press note. 'When we got the first call, we sent our Dornier plane from Kochi to survey the situation,' said IG Bhisham Sharma. 'Coast Guard and other ships were also sent to the spot and 21 crew members were rescued. Containers on top of the ship had fallen down and were floating. This is a navigational hazard, as some ships could dash against them. We have alerted the local administration and issued warnings to other ships.' Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Shipping, in coordination with the Coast Guard, directed the vessel's managers to arrange for urgent salvage services to stabilise the situation. This was confirmed by Sharma. Captain Mahendra Bhasin did not respond to calls from this newspaper.
