A massive fire broke out on Monday aboard the Wan Hai 503, a container vessel flying the Singapore flag. The incident occurred approximately 88 nautical miles off the coast of Beypore in Kerala, as confirmed by an official statement. (Pics/Defence PRO)
Updated On: 2025-06-10 08:23 PM IST
Compiled by : Asif Ali Sayed
The affected vessel, the Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503, was travelling from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai. There were 22 crew members on board when the massive fire erupted
According to a statement from the Defence PRO, the fire erupted on the container vessel after an explosion in one of its containers at approximately 9:30 AM. Following the blast, the fire rapidly spread to other containers, compelling the crew to abandon the ship and seek refuge in life rafts
According to officials, 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
The Indian Navy, in a closely coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation with the Coast Guard, DG Shipping, and other stakeholders, safely rescued 18 of the 22 crew members
Following the incident on June 9th the Indian Navy immediately deployed INS Surat and a Dornier aircraft to render necessary assistance. At about 1630 hr, INS Surat safely rescued 18 out of 22 crew members
However, officials have confirmed that every effort is being made to control the fire and locate the missing crew members
