A massive fire broke out onboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel `Wan Hai 503`, about 88 nautical miles off the coast of Beypore in Kerala, an official statement said on Monday.
The ship was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai, carrying 22 crew members, it said.
According to a statement issued by the Defence PRO, “The fire started after an explosion in one of the containers at around 9:30 am. Following the explosion, the fire spread to other containers, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel and take shelter in life rafts.”
It said that the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) responded quickly, diverting assets to coordinate rescue operations. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai also diverted a nearby merchant vessel, MV One Marvel, to assist.
As of 12:40 pm, 18 crew members were rescued from a lifeboat. One of them sustained serious injuries, and four crew members are currently missing — including two Taiwanese nationals, one Indonesian, and one from Myanmar.
A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft is providing aerial support and real-time updates, it said.
“On receipt of information, ICG assets were diverted immediately and are coordinating rescue operations for the crew. As of 12:40 hrs, the resulting fire has been reported to have spread to other containers and the crew have abandoned the vessel into life rafts. ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai diverted MV One Marvel, which is in area. Of the 18 crew in lifeboat, one is reported to have sustained serious injuries. 04 crew (02 Taiwanese, 01 Indonesian and 01 Myanmarese) are missing from the time of explosion and their fate is being ascertained by assets deployed. ICG Dornier aircraft is maintaining overhead the vessel for real-time assessment . The vessel is presently adrift and firefighting efforts by the Indian Coast Guard have commenced to bring the situation under control. The details of the cargo onboard are being ascertained to determine the nature of fire and the potential risks involved during firefighting operations,” an official statement said.
The Indian Coast Guard is in constant communication with DG Shipping, the vessel’s owners, and state authorities to manage the situation and prevent the vessel from drifting towards the coast.
Officials confirmed that every effort is being made to control the fire and locate the missing crew members.