Indian Navy Praised for Rescue Following Cargo Ship Fire Off Kerala Coast
On June 9, the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel MV Wan Hai 503 experienced a significant onboard explosion and fire approximately 44 nautical miles off the coast of Azhikkal, Kerala. The vessel, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, was carrying containerized cargo and had a crew of 22 members, including 14 Chinese nationals, 6 of whom were from Taiwan.
Rapid Response by Indian Maritime Forces
Following the explosion, the Indian Coast Guard was swiftly mobilized to assess and assist in the emergency. Several Coast Guard ships, including ICGS Rajdoot, ICGS Arnvesh, ICGS Sachet, and others, were diverted to the scene. An Indian Coast Guard aircraft conducted aerial assessments and deployed air-droppable supplies to aid rescue efforts.
Firefighters tackled blazes primarily located from midships to the container bay in front of the accommodation block. While the forward-bay fire was brought under control, thick smoke persisted, and the vessel reportedly listed between 10 to 15 degrees to port due to additional containers going overboard.
Casualties and Continuing Search Efforts
The incident resulted in four crew members missing and five injured. Firefighting operations and boundary cooling were actively conducted by Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari, Sachet, and the deploying ICGS Samarth from Kochi.
China Expresses Gratitude to Indian Authorities
In the aftermath, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India publicly thanked the Indian Navy and Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue operations. The statement emphasized the shared hope for successful ongoing search efforts and expressed wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured crew members.
This cooperation highlights the importance of maritime safety and swift international collaboration in times of crisis.
What's Next?
- Continued search and rescue operations to locate missing crew members.
- Investigation into the cause of the explosion onboard MV Wan Hai 503.
- Ongoing firefighting and stabilizing efforts to prevent further damage to the vessel.
The Indian Coast Guard is expected to provide further updates as the situation develops.
