Image: Indian Coast Guard
A massive fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container ship, continues to burn in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala, India, following an internal container explosion on Monday.
The vessel was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Mumbai, India when the explosion occurred, triggering an intense blaze and prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy. Of the 22 crew members onboard, 18 have been rescued, while four remain unaccounted for, according to the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).
The fire, visible from miles away, has been captured on video showing thick, black smoke pouring from the vessel as fire-fighting efforts continue. Explosions and flames were still erupting from the ship late Tuesday, the Coast Guard confirmed.
Multinational Crew, Ongoing Rescue
The rescued crew abandoned the vessel soon after the explosion, using a life boat before being picked up by Indian naval units. Several were injured and are now receiving medical attention onshore.
The four missing crew members include two nationals from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. MPA has deployed a support team to assist Indian authorities in search and recovery operations.
The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar maritime accident last month when a Liberian-flagged vessel carrying oil and hazardous chemicals leaked and sank in the same region. That earlier event led to widespread concern about marine pollution and resulted in a temporary fishing ban across four coastal districts of Kerala.
Pollution Threat and Maritime Hazard
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued an alert warning of a potential oil spill and marine debris threat following the Wan Hai 503 incident. The vessel reportedly had 100 tonnes of bunker oil on board at the time of the explosion.
According to Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan, approximately 50 containers were lost overboard during the fire. These containers have since begun drifting in the Arabian Sea and are expected to approach Kerala’s coastline within the next three days. Local news outlet Manorama News quoted INCOIS as saying that the situation could escalate into an environmental hazard if the containers are not secured or recovered promptly.
The Kerala coast is recognized for its biodiversity, supporting numerous marine species, and is a major draw for domestic and international tourism. Authorities are now on high alert to prevent a potential ecological crisis.
Repeated Incidents Raise Concerns
This is the second container ship-related emergency in less than a month in waters off southern India. Last month’s vessel leak and subsequent sinking raised alarms about safety protocols for hazardous cargo transport. In that case, the state government imposed a 20-nautical mile fishing exclusion zone around the wreck and offered compensation to fishing families whose livelihoods were disrupted.
The MV Wan Hai 503 incident is now reinforcing calls for tighter maritime safety enforcement and coordinated emergency response planning, especially with the rise in cargo traffic through the Indian Ocean routes.
For now, the fire aboard Wan Hai 503 rages on, with Indian and Singaporean efforts focused on locating the missing crew and mitigating the growing environmental threat from the drifting cargo and bunker oil.
Source:msn
