Mangaluru: The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy remain locked in a challenging operation to control the raging fire aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel Wan Hai 503, which erupted early Monday. Despite being surrounded by water, the blaze has been burning uncontrolled for over 48 hours, heightening coastal security concerns.
The ship, en route from Colombo to Mumbai’s Nava Sheva Port, reportedly contains highly flammable cargo and approximately 2,000 tonnes of fuel, making firefighting efforts extremely risky. The vessel has become a floating tinderbox, and intermittent explosions have triggered alerts along the Kerala-Mangaluru coastline.
The cargo manifest includes petrol, diesel, and nitrocellulose, with at least 157 containers marked as hazardous out of a total 600+. This has drawn comparisons to the recent sinking of MSC ELSA-3 off Kerala, fueling fresh environmental and maritime safety fears.
The Indian Navy has so far rescued 18 crew members, bringing them safely to Mangaluru. However, the fate of four missing individuals remains uncertain, with search operations ongoing.
What’s troubling is the apparent lack of distress signals before the disaster. Engineers were reportedly aboard and inspecting the engine compartments, making the cause of the fire unclear and alarming. As the inferno continues, pressure mounts on maritime authorities to not only extinguish the fire but also investigate lapses in safety and emergency response.
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