4 missing, 5 injured after fire breaks out on Singapore-flagged ship off Kerala coast
The incident occurred on the MV Wan Hai 503, which was initially reported to have suffered an explosion. However, officials later confirmed that it was an underdeck fire.
The Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai reported the fire to its Kochi counterpart around 10:30 am.
The 270-metre-long vessel, with a draught of 12.5 metres, had departed from Colombo on June 7 and was scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on June 10.
"On 09 Jun 25, at about 1030 h, MOC (Koc) received an information from MOC (Mbi) about a reported underdeck fire onboard MV Wan Hai 503.
The vessel is a Singapore Flag Container ship, 270 m long and draught 12.5m with LPC Colombo. The vessel departed Colombo on 07 Jun 25 with NPC Mumbai, 10 Jun," the communication from the PRO read.
He said that in response, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which had been scheduled to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance.
The vessel's course was altered at 11 am following instructions from the Western Naval Command.
Additionally, preparations are under way to deploy a Navy Dornier aircraft from INS Garuda naval air station in Kochi to evaluate conditions and manage support operations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
As maritime accidents increase, Coast Guard poised to get 2 new pollution-control vessels
Panaji: Amid a rise in maritime accidents in Indian waters, the Indian Coast Guard is set to get two additional vessels to combat onboard fires and oil spills. Goa Shipyard Limited launched a 114-metre-long pollution-control vessel, Samudra Prachet, for the Coast Guard on Wednesday, at its shipyard at Vasco. The indigenously designed pollution-control vessel is the second of the two that the Coast Guard ordered from the defence public sector undertaking. Samudra Prachet follows Samudra Pratap, which was launched in Aug last year, and GSL will deliver the two ships to the Coast Guard in the coming quarters. Director general of the Coast Guard, Paramesh Sivamani, emphasised the strategic importance of advanced pollution-control vessels in strengthening India's capacity to protect the coastal environment and respond to pollution emergencies. Sivamani said that pollution-control vessels play a 'pivotal role' in safeguarding India's marine ecosystems. Incidents in the maritime sector involving Indian seafarers and foreign vessels in Indian waters rose by 21% in 2024 to 186, said India's shipping regulator, directorate general of shipping, in its Maritime Safety Investigation Report 2024. An upward trend was observed in total collision incidents, rising from five in 2023 to 10 in 2024. The recent fire onboard MV Wan Hai 503, which started with explosions when the ship was some 44 nautical miles off Kerala on June 9, illustrates the potential danger aboard cargo ships. GSL chairman and MD, Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, said that 72% of the machinery and raw material used to build the two pollution-control vessels is indigenous. The 4,170-tonne vessel will be operated by 14 officers and 115 sailors. It is equipped with two side-sweeping arms capable of collecting oil spills while under way, as well as a modern radar system for detecting oil slicks. The vessel is engineered to recover oil, pump in contaminated water, analyse and separate pollutants, and store recovered oil in dedicated onboard tanks. A day earlier, Sivamani's wife, Priya, inaugurated the Coast Guard Kindergarten School at Chicolna, Vasco. The school will also cater to locals.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Centre approves projects for artificial reefs along Kerala coast
Kochi: The Union fisheries ministry approved projects worth Rs 13.02 crore for the installation of artificial reefs along the Kerala coast. The initiative aims to rejuvenate and restore fish stocks for long-term sustainability and biodiversity protection, with coordinated efforts from related ministries, Union fisheries minister of state George Kurien said in a reply in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The minister was responding to queries from Congress MPs Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose and Kodikunnil Suresh regarding financial assistance to fishing communities in Kerala. This assistance was necessitated by disruptions to fishing activities following the sinking of cargo vessel MSC Elsa 3 and the fire on container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 off the Kerala coast. The Union minister said that with regards to MSC Elsa 3, the state govt informed that fisherfolk, especially those from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts, were affected from May 25 to June 1, 2025. Interim relief was already provided to the affected fisherfolk. Financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per family was given to 1,05,518 marine fisher families — including 78,498 marine fisher families and 24,020 allied fisher families — from the SDRF, along with 6kg of rice per family to compensate for their livelihood loss due to the mishap. Kurien said that a joint coordination committee was constituted by the Kerala govt. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo This committee included representatives from Kufos, CMFRI, CIFT, the state pollution control board, food safety, the national health mission and coastal police. Their task was to review the scenario and conduct necessary sampling and testing of water and fish in accordance with standard protocols. The test reports revealed that the fish samples were in good condition, with no objectionable smell or flavour observed, and the pH, salinity and conductivity of water samples were within the normal range. The preliminary analysis of water and fish samples showed no trace or presence of oil content and no direct evidence to prove the presence of hazardous chemicals. The fish samples from the coasts of Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kollam were deemed safe for consumption. The minister also informed that National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was entrusted, through the environment department of Kerala, to undertake a multisectoral loss assessment and impact study, both short-term and long-term.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Army felicitates family of Kargil hero in Sabarkantha
Ahmedabad: As part of the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations, the Indian Army on Thursday honoured the family of Kargil war hero sepoy S K Kavaji, a sena medal awardee, at their residence in Kanthariya village of Vijaynagar taluka in Sabarkantha district. The felicitation was held under the Army's pre-Kargil Vijay Diwas outreach initiative, aimed at acknowledging the sacrifices of soldiers and extending welfare support to their families. Sepoy Kavaji laid down his life during the 1999 Kargil war, displaying exemplary courage in the service of the nation. During the ceremony, Khiviben Kavaji, wife of the late Sepoy, was presented with a memento, a welfare booklet, and a personal letter of appreciation from the Indian Army, commemorating her husband's valour. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad A team led by naib subedar M V Reddy and regiment havildar Major Rajeesh visited the family, interacted with them, and took note of their concerns and requirements. They assured the family of the Army's continued support and assistance, a statement from the Defence PRO said. The Indian Army is observing the 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 to mark India's victory over Pakistani intruders in the Kargil region and to pay homage to the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
