The situation highlights the dangers of maritime transport in the region amidst environmental concerns.
**Rescue Operations Underway for Missing Crew Members as Cargo Ship Fire Rages Off India’s Coast**
**Rescue Operations Underway for Missing Crew Members as Cargo Ship Fire Rages Off India’s Coast**
Efforts continue to contain a significant fire on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship near Kerala, with four crew members still unaccounted for.
The Indian Coast Guard and Navy are actively working to manage a raging fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-registered cargo vessel, which caught fire in the Arabian Sea while en route to Mumbai from Colombo, Sri Lanka. The incident, which occurred on Monday, was triggered by an explosion within one of the ship's containers.
During the initial rescue operation, a total of 18 crew members were successfully brought ashore, while four individuals remain missing, prompting broad search efforts. Among the missing are two Taiwanese nationals, a crew member from Myanmar, and another from Indonesia. In response, Singapore has deployed a specialized team to aid in ongoing rescue operations.
Visuals from the scene depict large clouds of smoke emanating from the vessel as the Indian Coast Guard continues its battle to extinguish the flames, which reportedly persisted into Tuesday. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has also raised concerns about potential oil spills and debris affecting the coastal waters of Kerala.
Ports Minister of Kerala, VN Vasavan, indicated that up to 50 containers have fallen off the MV Wan Hai 503 into the sea, prompting warnings that drifting debris could pose further hazards along the coastline in the upcoming days. The ship was known to be carrying 100 tonnes of bunker oil, raising alarms over potential environmental impacts.
This incident is particularly alarming as it marks the second maritime disaster in recent weeks near Kerala's shores, following the sinking of a Liberian-flagged vessel that was transporting oil and hazardous materials. In response to that event, the state government had previously instituted a ban on fishing within a 20-nautical mile radius of the wreck and has committed to providing aid to affected fishing communities. Kerala's diverse marine ecosystem, coupled with its status as a popular tourist destination, renders it especially vulnerable to such environmental threats.
