Coast guard struggles to contain fire on listing container ship off Kerala
- A fire ignited on the MV Wan Hai 503 due to an explosion, leading to a distress call.
- Eighteen of the 22 crew members were rescued while four are still missing.
- The coast guard continues to battle the blaze, and the situation is critical.
On June 9, 2025, a massive fire broke out aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container ship, approximately 15 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala, India. The incident occurred after the ship's crew reported an explosion that ignited the blaze, leading to the vessel listing at a precarious angle of 10 to 15 degrees. As of June 10, Indian Coast Guard Commandant Amit Uniyal reported that the situation is worsening with ongoing explosions and flames engulfing the ship. During the fire, 18 of the 22 crew members were rescued, although several sustained injuries, while four crew members remain unaccounted for. Multiple Indian Coast Guard boats were deployed to combat the blaze, utilizing jets of water to control the fire, which was further fueled by the ship's cargo. Images released depict heavy smoke and flames, indicating the severity of the situation, and explosions continuing to erupt from darkened containers. The MV Wan Hai 503 had left Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 7, 2025, and was heading to Mumbai when the disaster struck. Investigation of the incident is underway, and various agencies have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the fire and the ship's potential sinking. Furthermore, this incident marks the second major maritime disaster in the region in less than a month, following the sinking of MSC ELSA 3 off the coast of Kerala, which also posed environmental risks. India's Director General of Shipping has been involved, ensuring that effective measures are taken. It has been reported that unlike the MSC ELSA 3 incident, which involved hazardous cargo, the focus is primarily on resolving the situation with MV Wan Hai 503 and ensuring all missing crew members are located. The potential environmental implications of the ongoing fire and the ship's fate are being closely monitored by authorities, as the coast guard remains fully engaged in rescue operations and fire containment efforts.