Latest news with #SekharKuriakose
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.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Kerala govt. sounds high alert along coastline following oil spill, threat of chemical leakage from capsized ship
The spectre of possible leakage of hazardous chemicals loomed large in Kerala, with at least nine containers from the capsized Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC Elsa 3, washing up on the beaches of Kollam and Alappuzha districts early Monday. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a high alert along the State's coastline. It also flagged environmental concerns from an oil spill from the sunken vessel. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Dornier Aircraft flew several sorties over the shipwreck site and sprayed dispersants to accelerate the biodegradation of the oil slicks. The government has classified the accident as a Tier 2 maritime event. It is in close coordination with the ICG director general, who heads the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, to mitigate the environmental hazard. Calcium carbide The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the vessel had 643 transhipment containers secured on the main deck. The cargo hold contained 13 containers transporting calcium carbide. The hazardous chemical causes an exothermic reaction, producing highly flammable calcium hydroxide and acetylene gas when it reacts with water. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information (INCOIS) has informed the government that more containers will likely wash up on the beaches of Alappuzha, Kollam, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts. The government has urged the public to report the sighting of containers by dialling the emergency number 112. The government stated that local people found four containers beached near Shakthikulangara Harbour and Chavara in the Kollam district. They also reported containers run ashore at Cheriaazheekal and Thrikunnipuzha beaches in Alappuzha district. The government has advised extreme caution and cordoned off the coastal localities, as some containers may contain hazardous and flammable materials. Sekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), advised the public to maintain a minimum distance of 200 m from the beached containers. Ban on fishing near site The government stated that more containers were floating in the sea, posing a grave threat to passing ships and smaller vessels, including fishing boats. The government has banned fishing activities within a 20-nautical mile radius of the shipwreck location. The ICG and maritime authorities have issued notices to mariners, advising them to exercise caution when navigating the shipwreck location. Salvaging containers The shipping company has contracted a private firm to assist authorities in corralling the floating containers and salvaging those stowed away in the submerged vessel's cargo hold. The container ship, which had set course for Kochi from Vizhinjam, foundered after encountering rough weather 38 km southwest of its port of call early Sunday. A perilous combination of heavy seas, possible hull leakage, mechanical failure and perhaps unbalanced cargo reportedly caused the ship to list heavily before capsizing and sinking. The Coast Guard rescued the ship's crew, comprising up to 21 individuals from various nationalities, including Russia and the Philippines.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Cargo containers from capsized ship wash ashore in Kerala's Kollam, sparking fears of chemical leak
The spectre of possible leakage of hazardous chemicals loomed large in Kerala early Monday (May 26, 2025), with at least eight shipping containers from the capsized Liberian-flagged cargo vessel MSC Elsa 3 washing up on Neendakara, Karunagapally, and Shakthikulangara beaches in Kollam district. The revenue and police authorities have counselled extreme caution and cordoned off the localities, given that some containers could contain hazardous and inflammable materials. Sekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, has advised the public to maintain a minimum distance of 200 meters from the beached containers. The container ship, which had set course for Kochi from Vizhinjam, foundered after encountering heavy weather 38 km southwest of its port of call early Sunday. A perilous combination of heavy seas, possible hull leakage, mechanical failure and perhaps unbalanced cargo reportedly caused the ship to list heavily before capsizing and sinking. The Coast Guard rescued the ship's crew, comprising as many as 21 individuals from different nationalities, including Russia and the Philippines. The Customs department verified the ship's cargo manifesto. It said the sunk vessel threw 640 containers, including 12 containing hazardous incendiary material, overboard when it flipped over. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) reported that more containers were bobbing in the sea, posing a threat to ships and smaller vessels, including fishing boats. The INCOIS has warned the government that more containers could wash up on Kerala's shores, chiefly Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha, in the coming hours.
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.
