Latest news with #MVWanHai-503
Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Fire in container ship off Kerala contained considerably, inner decks still burn
After three days of sustained firefighting, the Coast Guard said the massive blaze on the Singapore-flagged vessel M V Wan Hai-503 has been considerably contained. The Coast Guard said its ship deployed a three-member team comprising divers and salvors in a Chetak helicopter to the deck of the vessel. It said they successfully secured the towing hawser (a rope or cable used to tow vessels) on the ship, connecting it to the Coast Guard ship Samudra Prahari, which now contains its movement. This prevents the ill-fated container ship from drifting to the coast. Once two or three tow lines are placed, it will be handed over to tug boats, which will pull the vessel away from the coast. The Coast Guard said the salvors were from the Marine Emergency Response Centre of Vishwakarma Mechanical Works, Gujarat. 'The container vessel continues to drift approximately 42 nautical miles off Beypore in Kerala within the exclusive economic zone of the country. The ship, which is carrying 2,128 MT of fuel and hazardous cargo, still poses an environmental risk. The Coast Guard, with air and sea assets, has largely contained the fire. Inner decks still burn. Salvors winched onboard to aid towing. Unfavourable seas persist. Focus remains on extinguishing the blaze and preventing a marine disaster,'' the Coast Guard posted on X. Kerala Disaster Management Authority member Secretary Shekhar Kuriakose said securing the towing hawser on a burning ship is 'a significant achievement.' Four Coast Guard ships — Samudra Prahari, Sachet, Vikram, and Samarth — with helicopters, are positioned around the vessel for firefighting and coordinating pollution response in case of any oil or chemical spill. Residual smoke is still visible from the distressed vessel. Ships Arnvesh, Rajdoot and Kasturba Gandhi are undertaking search operations for the 4 missing crew of the vessel. An official communication said, about 24 containers had fallen off the vessel and are likely floating or have sunk. The Single Point Mooring owned by Bharat Petroleum has been asked to keep a close watch to deflect any floating containers to prevent damage to the installation.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Ship fire updates: Coast Guard secures ship, no new explosions on Wednesday
The flames from the burning ship off Kerala coast have significantly reduced, Indian Coast Guard has informed. Only residual smoke is visible from the Singapore-flagged ship MV Wan Hai-503. No new explosions were reported on Wednesday
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Movement of MV Wan Hai restricted
The movement of MV Wan Hai-503, the ship that caught fire and was drifting in the Arabian Sea unmanned for the last two days, is being contained by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Samudra Prahari after connecting a towline with the ship, said a statement issued by the ICG here on Wednesday night. In a daring operation under challenging situations and weather, ICG ship deployed a three-member team on an ICG Chetak helicopter, comprising of ICG diver and salvors from MERC onto the decks of MV Wan Hai-503. The team then successfully secured the towing hawser on MV Wan Hai-503, defying all the odds. Though flames have significantly subsided, with residual smoke visible from the distressed vessel, fire remains active in the inner decks and near fuel tanks. Constant air sorties are being undertaken by ICG Dornier aircraft for sea-air coordination and real-time assessment. No new explosions were reported since early morning on Tuesday. The tilt of the vessel remains unchanged at 10-15 degrees to the port (left) side. ICG Ships Arnvesh, Rajdoot, and Kasturba Gandhi are undertaking an extended search for the four missing crew of the distressed vessel, said the statement.
