Latest news with #Kuriakose
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Oil spill scare off Kerala: Day after cargo ship capsized, 30 containers wash up ashore
A day after the Liberian-flagged cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, capsized off the Kerala coast, 30 containers washed ashore on Monday. However, no oil spill has reached the shore as of Monday evening. A defence spokesperson in Kochi said three Coast Guard vessels, Vikram, Saksham and Samarth, have been deployed in a pollution response configuration in the area where the ship capsized. These vessels utilised infrared cameras to detect the oil spill area and utilised oil spill dispersant to contain the spread of oil, officials said. Besides, a Dornier aircraft equipped with specialised gear has been positioned in Kochi to undertake aerial assessments of the oil spill situation. A dedicated pollution control vessel, Samudra Prahari, is being mobilised from Mumbai to further augment oil spill response efforts. In the coastal regions of Kerala's Alappuzha and Kollam districts, 30 of the containers that detached from the capsized ship washed ashore on Monday. Kerala State Disaster Management Authority member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose said, 'These containers did not contain anything harmful. More containers may wash ashore in the coming days. We have warned the people not to go near the containers. Customs, as well as the representatives of the shipping firm, will be handling the containers.' The Coast Guard had earlier said that the ship, which had 640 containers, was carrying 13 containers with 'hazardous cargo' and 12 with calcium carbide. It also said the ship had '84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks'. Kuriakose said the state government has asked the Factories and Boilers Department to make ready two Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) each in southern and central Kerala districts, and one each in the northern districts. Besides, in the event of oil slick reaching the shore, the State Pollution Control Board was directed to make ready two RRTs each in the southern and central coastal districts and one each in the northern districts. Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will soon launch a field study on the fallout of the emerging scenario on marine ecosystems. CMFRI director Dr Grinson George said the institute is closely monitoring the situation following reports of a possible oil spill in the Arabian Sea. The ecological and economic impact will depend on the scale of the leakage. Oil smothering could threaten sensitive marine species and disrupt fishing activities, particularly affecting artisanal fishers in coastal regions. If the spill spreads, it may harm marine productivity, especially during the monsoon — a critical period for pelagic fish breeding and growth, he said, adding that this could have long-term consequences for fisheries. The monsoon season typically supports high marine productivity, and a strong fishing season was anticipated. The scale of the impact is dependent on the amount of leakage and how it can be contained, he said.
Scroll.in
25-05-2025
- General
- Scroll.in
Container vessel carrying ‘hazardous cargo' sinks off Kerala coast, alert issued in state
A Liberian-flagged container vessel, MSC ELSA 3, carrying 'hazardous cargo' sank off the coast of Kerala's Kochi on Sunday after it began gradually tilting a day earlier, the Indian Coast Guard said. All 24 crew members on board the vessel were rescued, it added. 'The vessel, en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, was carrying 640 containers (including 13 hazardous scargo and 12 calcium carbide containers), along with 84.44 MT diesel and 367.1 MT furnace oil,' the Ministry of Defence said. The Coast Guard was assessing the situation, it added. 'Presently, no oil spill has been reported,' the ministry said, adding that the reason for the incident was yet to be ascertained. However, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority on Saturday issued an alert to the public to keep away from objects that may drift towards the coast, The Indian Express reported. On Saturday, the Indian Coast Guard said that it had received a distress alert about the vessel. In a post on X, it said that the vessel had departed from Vizhinjam port on Friday and was scheduled to reach Kochi the next day. The vessel capsized rapidly in the early hours of Sunday 'reportedly due to flooding in one of the holds', the Coast Guard said. 'ICG [Indian Coast Guard] has activated comprehensive pollution response preparedness and working in close coordination with state administration to address all possible scenarios,' it added. A defence spokesperson in Kochi said that 21 of the 24 crew members on board the vessel were rescued on Saturday and the remaining three were rescued on Sunday, The Indian Express reported. Shekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of the State Disaster Management Authority, told The Indian Express that the public had been told not to go near objects that were suspected to be from the sunken ship and were washed ashore. 'They should keep at least 200 metres away from such objects containing dangerous material,' the newspaper quoted Kuriakose as saying. 'The Navy has informed that one km per hour is the approximate speed at which the containers will drift. The coastal regions of Ernakulam and Alappuzha have the highest possibility of getting the containers washed ashore.' After the vessel tilted on Saturday, the parent firm of the sinking ship, which had also informed the Indian Coast Guard about the situation, brought another vessel to the area to assist in the rescue, according to The Indian Express. Three crew members remained onboard the tilting ship as per instructions from the company. However, on Sunday, the ship started submerging rapidly and more containers fell into the sea, the newspaper reported. The three crew members were subsequently rescued and taken onboard by INS Sujata. A Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 sank off the coast of Kochi around 0750 hrs on 25 May after developing a 26° starboard list. All crew members were safely rescued: 21 by the @IndiaCoastGuard and 03 by INS Sujata. The vessel, en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, was… — Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 25, 2025
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Oil, cargo falls into sea off Kerala coast, public cautioned against it: KSDMA
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority ( KSDMA ) on Saturday said that dangerous cargo, including oil, has fallen into the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast and cautioned the general public against touching the containers if they wash ashore. KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose, in a voice note shared with reporters, said that the information about the dangerous cargo falling into the sea was received from the coast guard. "There is a chance the cargo, including containers and oil, will wash ashore. The public, if they see such cargo, should not go near it or touch it and should inform the police immediately," he said. He also said that there was a possibility of oil films appearing along the coast in some areas. Kuriakose also said that the coast guard has confirmed that the vessel was carrying Marine gasoil (MGO) and Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
CG, Navy rescue 21 crew from tilting ship off Kochi
Kochi/T'puram: Twenty-one of the 24 crew members onboard a Liberia-flagged container vessel which began tilting dangerously around 38 nautical miles off Kochi coast were rescued on Saturday. It is reported that some containers with hazardous cargo have fallen off the ship. By Saturday night, 21 crew members were rescued, three crew members (captain, chief engineer and 2nd engineer) remained onboard to facilitate planned salvage operations. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Indian Navy ships, along with ICG aircraft, were continuing to coordinate and monitor the situation. Some containers have fallen due to vessel tilting, risk assessment is in progress. All efforts are on to maintain stability of the vessel, said the defence PRO in a post on X. Meanwhile, Kerala state disaster management authority (KSDMA) warned the people against coming in contact with the hazardous cargo — marine gas oil and very low sulphur fuel oil — that fell off the ship. Earlier, according to a press note issued by the defence PRO, the 184-m-long vessel, MSC ELSA 3, that had departed from Vizhinjam port on May 23, was expected to arrive at Kochi on May 24. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Around 1.25pm on Saturday (May 24), M/s MSC Ship management intimated Indian authorities regarding the development of a 26-degree list (a dangerous tilt or lean to one side) onboard their vessel, approximately 38nm south-west of Kochi, and sought urgent assistance. One Navy ship and two ICG ships were in the area. Nine of the 24 crew members had abandoned the ship and were in liferafts when rescue operations were launched. The crew comprised 20 Filipino nationals, two Ukrainians, one from Georgia and the captain being a Russian. Medical assistance was being provided to the rescued crew members aboard an ICG vessel, sources said. DG Shipping, in coordination with ICG, issued directives to ship managers for providing urgent salvage services for the vessel, the note said. At a news conference, Sekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of KSDMA, said, "There is a possibility that the containers and the oil can reach the state's coast. The Coast Guard has informed us that in such a situation people should never go near the containers. If fishermen or people find any containers, oil slick or any material on the coast, they should alert the nearest police station or at 112," said Kuriakose. Port minister V N Vasavan said that the Coast Guard, Navy and disaster management authorities are tackling the situation. "It is important that people along the coast or fishermen are careful," he said. Marine oil is transported in containers if they are in small quantities. Sources said that the chemical from the containers can leak into the sea and the currents can take it to the coast. The entire coast, especially Thrissur-Kochi-Alappuzha region, can be at risk, sources added.
News18
24-05-2025
- General
- News18
Low Sulphur Fuel Leak Off Kerala Coast After Ship Tilts, Public Urged To Stay Away
Last Updated: The vessel was carrying Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), both of which pose environmental risks if spilled into the sea The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) on Saturday issued a public warning after dangerous cargo, including oil and containers, fell into the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast. The cargo is believed to have come from a container vessel that developed a serious tilt and is currently under rescue and salvage operations. KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose, in a voice note shared with media, said the information about the fallen cargo was received from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). He warned the public not to go near or touch any containers or materials that may wash up on shore, and instead, report such sightings immediately to the police. 'There is a chance the cargo, including containers and oil, will wash ashore. The public, if they see such cargo, should not go near it or touch it and should inform the police immediately," Kuriakose said. He also said that there is a possibility of oil films forming along certain coastal areas due to the spill. The Coast Guard has confirmed that the vessel was carrying Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), both of which pose environmental risks if spilled into the sea. The vessel in question is MSC ELSA 3, a Liberia-flagged container ship that developed a dangerous list (tilt) of 26 degrees about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. In a post on X, the Indian Coast Guard said it received a distress alert from the vessel and immediately began rescue and monitoring operations. According to the ICG, the vessel had departed from Vizhinjam Port on 23 May and was en route to Kochi, with an expected arrival on 24 May. Of the 24 crew members onboard, 21 have been safely rescued so far. To support the ongoing evacuation, Indian Coast Guard aircraft have dropped additional liferafts near the listing vessel. 'DG Shipping, in coordination with #ICG, has issued urgent directives to the ship's managers to initiate salvage operations to stabilize the vessel and avert further risks," the ICG stated. The Coast Guard further added that the rescue ships remain in the area, and aircraft are continuing to monitor the situation closely. 'ICG continues to closely monitor the situation to ensure the safety of the crew and to prevent any environmental damages," it added. (With inputs from agencies) First Published:
