A devastating explosion rocked the container vessel MV WAN HAI 503 off the coast of Kochi on Monday, triggering a major emergency at sea. The blast, which reportedly occurred below deck, led to a massive fire midships and forward of the accommodation block, with flames and smoke still rising despite firefighting efforts.

The ship, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, was carrying containerized cargo and had 22 crew members aboard. As per latest reports, four crew members are currently unaccounted for, and five others have sustained injuries.

The vessel is now listing 10–15° to port, and more containers have reportedly fallen overboard, worsening the crisis. Though the forward bay fire has been somewhat controlled, thick smoke continues to pose challenges.

The Indian Coast Guard has launched a multi-ship operation to contain the incident. ICGS Samudra Prahari and ICGS Sachet are actively engaged in fire suppression and boundary cooling. Additionally, ICGS Samarth is being deployed with salvage teams from Kochi.

In an urgent response, CGDO has been diverted for explosion impact assessment, and ICGS Rajdoot (off New Mangalore), ICGS Arnvesh (off Kochi), and ICGS Sachet (off Agatti) have been redirected to provide further support.

The Indian Coast Guard is closely monitoring the situation and will provide timely updates as rescue and containment efforts continue.

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