Fire reported on Singapore-flagged ship off Kerala coast

Mangalore Today News Network

Thiruvananthapuram, June 9, 2025: A cargo ship caught fire in the sea off the Kannur coast in north Kerala on Monday.

As per initial reports, Singapore flag carrier Wan Hai 503 met with the mishap at around 70 nautical miles from the Kannur coast. Of the 22 members in the crew, 18 jumped into the sea. Captain and three crew members were still remaining in the ship.

Indian Coast Guard and Navy have started the rescue operations. The ship was travelling from Colombo to Mumbai. Details regarding the cargo were not yet know.

Indian Coast Guard and Navy have started the rescue operations. The ship was travelling from Colombo to Mumbai. Details regarding the cargo were not yet know.

It is the second ship mishap in the Arabian sea off Kerala coast in hardly two weeks time.

The Liberian flag carrier MSC ELSA-3 with 643 containers sank at 14.6 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on May 25. As many as 13 containers were said to be containing hazardous and dangerous goods including Calcium Carbide, a chemical that reacts violently with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas.

Quick response by @IndiaCoastGuard after explosion on #Singapore flagged MV #WANHAI503, 130 NM NW of #Kerala coast.
➡️ #ICG aircraft assessed the scene & dropped air-droppable
➡️ 04 #ICG ships diverted for rescue.#MaritimeSafety #ICG #SearchAndRescue pic.twitter.com/xVPEShbU8h

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 9, 2025

According to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the distress alert was received by around 9.30 am. regarding explosion and subsequent fire onboard one of the containers, 88 Nautical miles from the coast of Beypore in Kozhikode. By 12.40 pm the fire reportedly spread to other containers and the crew abandoned the vessel into life rafts.

ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai diverted MV One Marvel, which recovered 18 of the crew. Of the 18 crew rescued, one is reported to have sustained serious injuries. Four crew, which include two Taiwanese, one Indonesian and one Myanmarese, are missing from the time of explosion and their fate is being ascertained by assets deployed. ICG Dornier aircraft are 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, said the statement.

The vessel departed from Colombo with 22 crew onboard on June 6 It was estimated to reach the Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai by June 9. The details of the cargo onboard are being ascertained to determine the nature of fire and the potential risks involved during firefighting operations. ICG is maintaining coordination with DG Shipping, state administration and the vessel owners to devise the response plan for the evolving situation. At present, the vessel is far from shore and all efforts will be undertaken to deter the vessel from closing in to the coast in coordination with stakeholders, the statement said.