Fire Engulfs Singapore Vessel off Kerala Coast, 18 Crew Rescued

Kochi : A Singapore-flagged container ship, MV Wan Hai 503, caught fire off the Kerala coast on Monday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. The vessel, 270 meters long with a draft of 12.5 meters, had departed from Colombo and was en route to Mumbai.

According to Defence PRO sources, 18 of the 22 crew members onboard have already abandoned the ship and are being rescued. The ship remains engulfed in flames and is drifting in the Arabian Sea. Initially reported as an explosion, the incident was later confirmed to be an underdeck fire.

The fire was first reported around 10:30 AM by the Mumbai Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) to its Kochi counterparts. Responding swiftly, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which was scheduled to dock at Kochi, to provide immediate assistance. By 11:00 AM, the Western Naval Command had redirected the vessel.

Multiple Indian Coast Guard ships, including Sachet, Arnavesh, Samudra Prahari, Abhinav, Rajdoot, and C-144, have been deployed in the ongoing rescue efforts. Additionally, a naval Dornier aircraft from INS Garuda in Kochi is being readied for aerial assessment and to coordinate further support.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, and efforts to extinguish the flames and stabilize the vessel are ongoing. The condition of the remaining crew is currently being monitored.

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely as the operation progresses.