A Singapore-flagged container vessel, MV Wan Hai 503, caught fire between Beypore and Azhikkal ports on Monday. The incident was reported when the vessel was approximately 78 nautical miles off Beypore. Twenty containers reportedly fell into the sea following multiple explosions and a fire on board. A container explosion triggered the fire onboard.
The 270-metre-long vessel departed Colombo on June 7 and was expected to reach Mumbai on June 10. There were 22 crew members on board. Of them, 18 jumped into the sea and are currently in rescue boats. Four are reported missing who went for the initial firefighting. Five crew members have suffered injuries, and two have sustained severe burns. Efforts are underway to rescue them. PRO Defence Kochi said the vessel is presently on fire and adrift.
The Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) in Mumbai alerted its counterpart in Kochi about the reported underdeck fire around 10.30 am on Monday. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard launched a coordinated rescue operation.
Three Coast Guard interceptor boats from Kochi and additional units from Beypore have been deployed to the site. Rescue boats dispatched from Beypore are expected to reach the vessel by 4 pm, a Coast Guard source told Onmanorama. INS Surat, scheduled to enter Kochi, was diverted to provide assistance to the distressed vessel, according to an update by PRO Defence, Kochi.
A press note issued by the Indian Coast Guard said it received a distress alert from the vessel, regarding an explosion and subsequent fire onboard one of the containers, 88 Nautical miles from the coast of Beypore. The vessel had departed the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka with 22 crew onboard for the Nhava Sheva Port, Mumbai.
On receipt of information, ICG assets were diverted immediately and are coordinating rescue operations for the crew. By 12.40 pm, the fire spread to other containers, and the crew abandoned the vessel. ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai diverted MV One Marvel, which recovered 18 of the crew.
Of the 18 crew rescued, one is reported to have serious injuries. Four members of the crew (2 Taiwanese, 1 Indonesian and 1 Myanmarese) are missing from the time of explosion. ICG Dornier aircraft is maintaining overhead the vessel for real-time assessment
The details of the cargo onboard are being ascertained to determine the nature of fire and the potential risks involved during firefighting operations.
ICG is coordinating with DG Shipping, state administration, and the vessel owners to devise a response plan for the evolving situation. At present, the vessel is far from shore, and in coordination with stakeholders, all efforts will be undertaken to deter it from closing in on the coast, the release said.
The owners have been directed to appoint a professional salvor and firefighting expert immediately. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) is providing the required details for ICG. The entire vessel has been engulfed by the fire. The owners have been requested to assess and report the nature of the cargo and to ascertain any hazardous material presence. BSM has informed that preliminary contact has been made with SMIT Salvage for specialised assistance.
