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India Gazette
7 days ago
- General
- India Gazette
TN authorities alert for toxic debris washing ashore after Liberia-registered ship sinks off Kerala coast
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 30 (ANI): The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority is monitoring the possibility of hazardous materials, spilt from the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3, washing ashore the state's coast. As of now, no hazardous materials have been found on Tamil Nadu's coastline, the officials said. The ship was involved in an accident off the Kerala coast on May 24, during the onset of the southwest monsoon, resulting in the spillage of fuel, plastic particles, and hazardous cargo containers into the sea. Due to the intensifying southwest monsoon, plastic debris, containers, and other materials have been drifting and washing ashore along the coasts of Kerala and the southern coastal regions of Kanyakumari district. The ship's sinking has left a trail of debris along the Kerala coastline. Several containers from the vessel have washed ashore in various locations, including the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Efforts are being made to remove them. The vessel, carrying 24 crew members, had reported technical issues and was tilting soon after departing from Vizhinjam port. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard responded promptly to the distress call, deploying ships INS Satpura and INS Sujatha to the scene. Despite adverse weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 40 knots and debris in the water, the Coast Guard successfully rescued all 24 crew members. The crew member attributed the incident to a technical problem with some systems, rather than a collision. They mentioned that the situation worsened due to adverse weather conditions and the age of the vessel. Earlier, a meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak with officials and district collectors in the background of the sinking of the Liberian container ship MSC ELSA 3 off the Kochi coast. The ship completely sank 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottapalli spillway. About 100 containers may have fallen into the sea. The ship's fuel oil has also leaked. However, all the crew members of the ship have been rescued. (ANI)
India Gazette
28-05-2025
- General
- India Gazette
Container from the sunken ship MSC ELSA 3 washes ashore at Kollam Coast: removal underway
Kochi (Kerala) [India], May 28 (ANI): The Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3, which sank off the Kochi coast on May 24, has left a trail of debris along the Kerala coastline. Several containers from the vessel have washed ashore in various locations, including Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. Efforts are being made for its removal. The vessel, carrying 24 crew members, had reported technical issues and was tilting soon after departing from Vizhinjam. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard responded promptly to the distress call, deploying ships INS Satpura and INS Sujatha to the scene. Despite adverse weather conditions, including wind speeds of up to 40 knots and debris in the water, the Coast Guard successfully rescued all 24 crew members. A crew member of the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 expressed gratitude to the Indian Coast Guard for their prompt rescue efforts after the vessel sank off the Kochi coast. 'We thank the Coast Guard for saving us. They have been caring for us since yesterday, and their monitoring and communication have been excellent. We're survivors because of their timely intervention, and it's a good job. Thank you very much.' The crew member attributed the incident to a technical problem with some systems, rather than a collision. They mentioned that the situation worsened due to adverse weather conditions and the age of the vessel. The Indian Coast Guard received a distress call from the vessel on May 24 at 12:15 hours. They promptly responded to the call and rescued all 24 crew members, administering first aid to those in need. The crew member praised the Coast Guard's professionalism and good communication, saying, 'We're all healthy and good, thanks to them.' 'Efforts are currently underway to respond to the oil spill with the assistance of multiple ICG assets. The situation regarding the oil spill is currently managed and under close observation by @ of 1330 hr today, no oil has made its way to the shores of #Kerala state,' shared PRO Defence Kochi on their Twitter (X). Earlier, a meeting was held under the leadership of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak with officials and district collectors in the background of the sinking of the Liberian container ship MSC ELSA 3 off the Kochi coast. The ship completely sank 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottapalli spillway. About 100 containers may have fallen into the sea. The ship's fuel oil has also leaked. However, all the crew members of the ship have been rescued. (ANI)
Time of India
27-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Why the sinking of a cargo ship is a worry all along Kerala's coast
Why the sinking of a cargo ship is a worry all along Kerala's coast Team TOI Plus TNN May 27, 2025, 18:21 IST IST The capsizing of a Liberian vessel near the coast of Kerala has sparked worries about the risk posed by 12 containers of a hazardous chemical and the fuel the vessel was carrying . The 184-metre-long container vessel MSC ELSA 3 had set out from the Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram on May 23 for Kochi, and was scheduled to dock there on May 24. However, on the afternoon of May 24 - around 38 nautical miles from its destination - the Liberian cargo ship carrying 643 containers began sending distress signals. The Indian Coast Guard were able to rescue 21 crew members on May 24 itself, and when the vessel started capsizing, Indian Navy vessel INS Sujatha rescued the three remaining senior crew who had stayed behind.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Coast Guard battles to contain oil & chemical spill off Kerala
KOCHI: The Kerala govt issued a statewide alert Sunday as Coast Guard teams battled to contain a potentially worsening spill of oil and hazardous chemicals from Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 that capsized and sank in the Arabian Sea, 14.6 nautical miles off Thottappally harbour in Alappuzha, in the morning. The vessel carrying 643 containers - 13 of them bearing hazardous cargo - had sent out distress signals around 1.25pm Saturday when it was 38 nautical miles from Kochi. Coast Guard responded immediately and evacuated 21 crew members. By the time MSC ELSA 3 started capsizing closer to the harbour around 7.50am Sunday, Indian Navy vessel INS Sujatha rescued the last three crew members.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Liberian cargo ship sinks off Kochi, major oil leak triggers state alert
Kochi: Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA 3, carrying 643 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo, capsized in the sea off Kochi early on Sunday. The incident led to a major oil leak, and the state govt has sounded a statewide alert. The ship sank about 14.6 nautical miles from Thottappally harbour around 7.50 am. Before this, naval vessel INS Sujatha rescued the three senior crew members — captain, chief engineer and second engineer — who remained aboard overnight to assist with salvaging operations. The Indian Coast Guard earlier rescued 21 crew members. The ICG said it was monitoring the situation closely and was fully prepared to respond to any emergency. It received information regarding the distress conditions onboard MSC ELSA 3, approximately 38 nautical miles from Kochi, around 1.25pm on Saturday. The shipping company, which could not establish communication with the vessel, requested ICG assistance to ensure the safety of the crew members. The reason for the listing is yet to be ascertained. A meeting chaired by chief secretary A Jayathilak confirmed a significant oil leak from the vessel and issued a statewide alert. An official note issued after the meeting said the leaked fuel was drifting at a speed of approximately three kilometres per hour, posing serious environmental and navigational threats. "A Dornier aircraft that sprays dispersant to break up the oil has been deployed. The Director General of the Coast Guard, who heads the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, is directly overseeing response efforts," it said. All coastal local self-govt bodies have been asked to warn the public not to approach or touch any unusual objects or containers that wash ashore. People are advised to maintain a distance of at least 200 metres and to report such sightings to the emergency number 112, the note said. "Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea due to safety concerns, and fishing activities are strictly prohibited within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the sunken vessel," it said. The 184-metre-long container vessel sailed from Vizhinjam port near Thiruvananthapuram on May 23 for Kochi, with a scheduled entry on Saturday. It developed a significant list to the starboard side en route to Kochi. Besides ICG Dornier aircraft and ship Arnvesh, two merchant vessels in the vicinity, MV Han Yi and MSC Silver 2, also participated in the rescue. INS Sujata joined the operation on Sunday. Apart from the senior officers, the crew included 20 Philippines nationals. A customs statement said 73 of the containers that sank were empty, while some carried Calcium Carbide, a chemical that reacts violently with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas. The ship had in its tanks 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil.
