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Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Container ship sinks off India's south coast with hazardous cargo
The vessel went down with 640 containers, including 12 containing calcium carbide. (Indian defence public relations office of Mumbai/AFP pic) BENGALURU : A Liberian-flagged container ship with hazardous cargo has sunk off the coast of Kerala in India's south, the navy said today after rescuing all 24 crew members safely. India's navy said the MSC ELSA 3, listed as a 184m-long freight ship, which was sailing from the Indian port of Vizhinjam to Kochi, ran into trouble yesterday and issued a distress call. Navy aircraft scrambled to the area and spotted two life rafts, with the container ship listing at a dangerous angle some 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. 'All 24 crew members on board were rescued,' the ministry of defence said in a statement, with the Indian coast guard (ICG) and a navy patrol boat collecting the sailors, who were from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and the Philippines. 'The vessel went down with 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide,' the statement said. The defence ministry did not specify what was inside the containers it said were hazardous. Calcium carbide is used in the chemical industry, including for fertiliser production and steelmaking. 'Given the sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala's coast, ICG has activated full pollution response preparedness,' the navy said. The vessel also contained some 370 tonnes of fuel and oil but, while the coast guard had deployed 'detection systems', it said that 'so far, no oil spill has been reported'.
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Oil spill feared after cargo ship sinks off Kerala coast and containers wash ashore
India is scrambling to contain a potential environmental disaster after a container vessel sank off the coast of Kochi in Kerala, raising fears of an oil and hazardous chemical spill along the state's southern shoreline. The Liberia -flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3, carrying over 640 containers, sank about 38 nautical miles west of Kochi on Saturday. Among its cargo were 13 containers marked hazardous and 12 carrying calcium carbide, a highly reactive chemical. The ship also had more than 450 tonnes of fuel onboard, including 84 tonnes of diesel and 367 tonnes of furnace oil. The entire ship has since been submerged as the coast guard tried to block the oil with two ships, according to a statement from the Kerala chief minister's office. 'A Dornier aircraft is also being used to spray oil-destroying powder on the oil slick," the statement said. All 24 crew members were safely rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy before the ship went under, but officials say the threat to the marine environment remains serious. Some containers have already washed ashore in coastal districts like Kollam and Alappuzha, prompting warnings from local authorities. Fishermen and residents have been advised not to approach or touch any container that has washed up or is floating near the coast. The Indian Coast Guard has launched a full-scale pollution response operation, deploying vessels equipped with containment booms, skimmers, and dispersants to try to control any oil that may have leaked from the sunken ship. An aircraft is also conducting aerial surveillance to assess the scale of the spill. The Kerala government has declared a state of environmental alert, asking people living nearby to move to safer places. Accidental oil spills in the ocean can have far-reaching effects, putting marine ecosystems to the local fishing industry at risk. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information and Services (INCOIS) has warned that if spillage does occur, at least two coastal districts in southern Kerala could face contamination within 36 to 48 hours. Authorities are still assessing whether any hazardous materials have leaked from the sunken containers, but the presence of calcium carbide – which reacts violently with water – has added to the urgency of the response.
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
India races to contain oil spill after cargo ship with hazardous materials sinks off Kerala
BENGALURU (India), May 26 — India's coastguard raced today to contain an oil spill from a container ship with hazardous cargo that sank off the southern coast yesterday, Kerala's state government said. The Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3, listed as a 184-metre (603-foot) freight ship, went down off the coast of Kerala yesterday, with all 24 crew members rescued. It was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide, a chemical used for fertiliser production and steelmaking. The vessel also contained some 370 tonnes of fuel and oil. 'The Coast Guard is taking action to prevent the spread of oil using two ships,' Kerala's government said in a statement. 'The work of spraying dust to destroy the oil is in progress using a Dornier aircraft'. India's defence ministry said the ship sank 'due to flooding' some 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, raising concerns for the 'sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala's coast'. The government has put coastal areas on high alert and warned people not to touch or approach any containers — some of which have already washed up along the coast. The ship was sailing between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi when it ran into trouble on Saturday and issued a distress call. — AFP
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
India's Kerala state on high alert as vessel with hazardous cargo sinks off its coast
India's southern state of Kerala on Monday issued a high alert along its coastal areas and asked fishermen not to venture near the site of an accident where a container ship carrying hazardous cargo sank off its coast in the Arabian Sea. The Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3 was sailing between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi when it sank about 38 nautical miles off Kerala early Sunday. All 24 crew members were rescued, India's defense ministry said. The vessel went down with 640 containers, including 13 with an unspecified 'hazardous cargo' and 12 containing calcium carbide. It also had 84.44 metric tons of diesel and 367.1 metric tons of furnace oil in its tanks. The Kerala chief minister's office on Monday urged people to stay away from some of the containers that began washing ashore. It also advised fishermen not to venture too close to the sunken ship. Indian Coast Guard on Sunday said it had sent an aircraft with an oil spill detection system to survey the area. It also deployed a ship carrying pollution control equipment to the site of the accident.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
India's Kerala state on high alert as vessel with hazardous cargo sinks off its coast
NEW DELHI (AP) — India's southern state of Kerala on Monday issued a high alert along its coastal areas and asked fishermen not to venture near the site of an accident where a container ship carrying hazardous cargo sank off its coast in the Arabian Sea. The Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3 was sailing between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi when it sank about 38 nautical miles off Kerala early Sunday. All 24 crew members were rescued, India's defense ministry said. The vessel went down with 640 containers, including 13 with an unspecified 'hazardous cargo' and 12 containing calcium carbide. It also had 84.44 metric tons of diesel and 367.1 metric tons of furnace oil in its tanks. The Kerala chief minister's office on Monday urged people to stay away from some of the containers that began washing ashore. It also advised fishermen not to venture too close to the sunken ship. Indian Coast Guard on Sunday said it had sent an aircraft with an oil spill detection system to survey the area. It also deployed a ship carrying pollution control equipment to the site of the accident.
