Container ship sinks off Kerala coast, navy rescues all crew

Despite best efforts of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and the shipping firm, the container vessel MSC Elsa 3, which had reported listing around 38 nautical miles off the Kochi coast, sank into the Arabian Sea on Sunday morning.

Indian Navy and Coast Guard sources confirmed that the vessel listed further and eventually capsized on Sunday morning.

All the 24 crew members aboard the vessel were rescued.

Of these, 21 were saved by the Navy and Coast Guard on Saturday evening and the remaining three, the captain, chief engineer, and second engineer, were brought to safety by the Navy on Sunday morning.

The 21 crew members rescued earlier have been shifted to the Coast Guard headquarters in Kochi, while the captain and two engineers were taken to the Kochi Naval Base.

According to reports, the vessel was carrying 148 containers, some of which may drift toward the Kerala coast due to the influence of the monsoon currents.

The vessel, which was transporting containers with hazardous cargo, had listed approximately 26 degrees to the starboard side by Saturday afternoon.

Upon receiving information regarding the incident, three ships, INS Sujata of the Indian Navy, ICGS Arnvesh, and ICGS Saksham, were deployed to assist in salvage operations. Coast guard ship ICGS Saksham on Sunday launched efforts to contain oil spill.

MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged container vessel built in 1997, has a length of 184 metres and a beam of 25.3 metres.

The containers are drifting at a speed of approximately one kilometre per hour and are expected to reach the Kerala coast, particularly between Alappuzha and Ernakulam, within two days.

Authorities have issued a public advisory warning residents not to approach or touch any containers that wash ashore, as they may contain hazardous materials.

While there is no official confirmation of the exact contents, sources indicate that the cargo includes Sulphur.

Efforts by the shipping firm to tow the sinking vessel to Kochi port were unsuccessful due to rough sea conditions and strong winds.

A vessel carrying technical experts had also been dispatched for salvage operations, but was unable to approach the vessel to shift cargo or initiate towing.

In the early hours of Sunday, the vessel capsized rapidly, reportedly due to flooding in one of the holds.

The three crew members who had remained on the abandoned vessel were rescued by INS Sujata, which joined the operation on Saturday evening.

Defence spokesperson Atul Pillai confirmed that another vessel from the parent company has reached the site for further salvage operations, though rough weather continues to hamper efforts.

Although the Navy attempted to assist in towing the vessel to the Kochi coast, operations could not proceed as the vessel began capsizing.

Indian Coast Guard deployed two ships for containment operations and uses a Dornier aircraft to spray chemical dispersants over the affected area.

The Director General of the Coast Guard, who also heads the National Oil Spill Response Plan, directly supervises the containment efforts.

Following the sinking of the container vessel, Kerala government deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to tackle the threat of drifting cargo containers and a potential coastal oil spill.

In a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary, the Factories and Boilers Department and the Pollution Control Board have been directed to constitute the RRTs. District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), police, and other agencies will extend all necessary support for emergency operations and public safety.

The government has issued a public advisory urging coastal residents to stay at least 200 metres away from any unfamiliar objects or containers found washed ashore.

Citizens are requested to alert authorities by dialling 112 and avoid gathering near the site. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the deep sea, particularly within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the site.

They have also been warned against approaching or handling any drifting containers or suspected hazardous materials at sea.