Explosive Incident on Wan Hai 503: Coast Guard’s Response

On the morning of June 9th, around 0930 hours, the Indian Coast Guard received a distress signal. It was from the Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503. This followed an explosion and fire onboard one of the containers. The incident occurred approximately 88 nautical miles off the coast of Beypore. The vessel had departed Colombo on June 6th with 22 crew members. It was en route to Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai. The ship was expected to arrive on June 9th.

Indian Coast Guard comes to rescue

Following the alert, Coast Guard units were swiftly redirected to assist in the emergency. By 1240 hours, the fire had intensified. It spread to adjacent containers and forced the crew to abandon ship. The crew took to life rafts. Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai, directed the nearby merchant vessel MV One Marvel to the scene. The vessel successfully rescued 18 crew members. Among the rescued, one sustained serious injuries. However, four crew members—two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one Myanmarese—remain unaccounted for since the explosion. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft continues to monitor the vessel overhead to provide real-time updates.

The container ship is currently adrift. Indian Coast Guard teams have launched firefighting operations. They are working to gain control of the blaze. Efforts are underway to identify the nature of the cargo onboard to evaluate the hazards associated with extinguishing the fire.

Also read: Container Ship Sinks Off Kerala Coast: Indian Coast Guard Leads Swift Environmental Response

Authorities, including DG Shipping, local administration, and the vessel’s owners, are in active communication with the Coast Guard. They are working to manage the unfolding situation. The ongoing mission is focused on rescuing the missing crew members, containing the fire, and preventing environmental damage.

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