A Singapore-flagged container vessel, MV Wan Hai 503, caught fire approximately 78 nautical miles off the coast between Beypore and Azhikkal in Kerala on Monday. The fire, reportedly triggered by an explosion in a container, caused at least 20 containers to fall into the sea and left the 270-meter-long vessel adrift and engulfed in flames.
The ship, which departed Colombo on June 7 en route to Mumbai, had 22 crew members onboard. Eighteen of them jumped into the sea and were rescued by nearby vessel MV One Marvel. Four crew members—two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one Myanmarese—who attempted initial firefighting are missing. Two crew members sustained severe burns.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have launched a full-scale rescue and containment operation, deploying interceptor boats from Kochi and Beypore, along with surveillance aircraft and INS Surat. The Indian Coast Guard confirmed the fire had spread by early afternoon and all remaining crew had abandoned the vessel.
Efforts are ongoing to assess the cargo onboard and determine the risk of hazardous materials. The ship’s management, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, has contacted SMIT Salvage for professional firefighting assistance. Authorities are working to ensure the burning vessel does not drift closer to the coast.
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