A major maritime crisis is unfolding off the coast of Kerala where the Indian Coast Guard is battling an intense fire aboard the container vessel MV Wan Hai 503. The blaze, which began early Monday morning, has engulfed the Singapore-flagged ship approximately 15 nautical miles from the coast, and efforts are ongoing to control the inferno while four crew members remain unaccounted for. The vessel, which was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mumbai, reported a fire triggered by an explosion around 9:30 am on June 10. Eighteen of the crew members were successfully rescued, some with injuries, but the fire has continued to rage for more than 24 hours, with multiple explosions being reported by rescue teams. The cause of the initial explosion is yet to be determined.
The ship, managed by Wan Hai Lines (Singapore) Pte Ltd, measures 269 meters in length and was carrying numerous containers when the incident occurred. Indian Coast Guard Commandant Amit Uniyal stated that the ship is tilting between 10 to 15 degrees in the water and confirmed that the situation is deteriorating. With each passing hour, more containers are catching fire, increasing the risk of the vessel capsizing or causing further environmental harm. Five Indian Coast Guard vessels have been deployed to contain the blaze and prevent the ship from sinking. Explosions are reported to be coming from the mid-section of the ship and spreading towards the container bay ahead of the accommodation area. Efforts are being monitored by an environmental observation vessel, but the full extent of the environmental consequences is still uncertain.
Visuals released by the Indian Coast Guard depict a terrifying scene—dense black smoke billowing into the sky, bright orange flames, and burnt containers. The urgency of the situation is compounded by the fear that hazardous cargo could be involved, although this has not yet been confirmed. This disaster marks the second major maritime incident in the region within a month. On May 25, another container ship, the Liberian-flagged MSC Elsa 3, sank off Kerala with over 600 containers onboard, including 13 labeled as hazardous. That incident led the Kerala government to declare an environmental emergency and warn local fishermen to avoid the area.
Following the MSC Elsa 3 sinking, India’s Directorate General of Shipping confirmed that none of the 61 containers that later washed ashore contained dangerous substances. Of those, 51 have since been cleared from the coastline. Salvage operations are underway for the MSC vessel, including capping oil tanks and retrieving fuel to minimize marine pollution. The latest fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, however, may present even more complex challenges, especially given the live fire, unexploded cargo, and missing personnel. The Indian Coast Guard remains on high alert and continues its efforts under extremely hazardous conditions.
As of now, officials have not provided a definitive timeline for when the fire might be extinguished or when the missing crew might be located. Maritime authorities have assured the public that a full investigation into the incident will follow once the situation stabilizes. The repeated emergencies have raised concerns about the growing frequency of maritime accidents in Indian waters and the need for stricter safety protocols for cargo vessels passing through busy sea routes. With critical lives at stake and mounting environmental threats, authorities remain under pressure to manage this crisis effectively while minimizing lasting damage to marine ecosystems along the Kerala coast.
