INS Surat brings 18 rescued sailors of fire-struck MV Wan Hai 503 to New Mangalore Port; 4 still missing

INS Surat brings 18 rescued sailors of fire-struck MV Wan Hai 503 to New Mangalore Port; 4 still missing

mangaloretoday.com/

Mangaluru, June 09, 2025: Eighteen crew members rescued from the blaze-hit Singapore-flagged container ship were safely brought to the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) Coast Guard berth at Panambur by Indian Naval Ship INS Surat. The Indian Navy vessel INS Surat arrived at the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), Panambur at 10:45 pm on Monday, carrying 18 crew members rescued from the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire at sea.

The injured were evacuated and transported to AJ Hospital in Kuntikana here late on Monday night.

The MV Wan Hai 503 was enroute from Colombo to Mumbai when it caught fire on June 9, approximately 78 nautical miles off the Beypore coast in Kerala. Responding promptly to the distress call, the Indian Navy launched a successful rescue operation, retrieving 18 of the 22 crew members on board.

Among the rescued, two are said to be in critical condition, while four sustained minor injuries and 12 others suffered varying levels of trauma.

“The critically injured were stabilised onboard INS Surat, and shifted on arrival under close medical supervision. Immediate evacuation was our priority,” a Coast Guard official told reporters.

He added that immigration, port, and police authorities worked in unison to ensure a seamless handover and medical transfer.

The ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on Sunday in the Arabian Sea off Kerala coast, had 22 crew members on board. While 18 have now been rescued, four remain unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.