Two shipping accidents off the coast of Kerala a fortnight apart, on May 24 and June 9, posed multiple challenges for India’s maritime agencies.
The Liberian-flagged MSC Elsa 3 sank off the Kochi coast after the Indian Coast Guard rescued all its crew members. After the DG Shipping issued an ultimatum to the shipping company and the salvors, capping operations have been done to ensure that there’s no oil spillage.
Meanwhile, a multiagency effort led by the Disaster Management Authorities is under way to collect and safely dispose of nurdles that washed ashore following the ship’s sinking.
MV Wan Hai 503 reported an explosion onboard and caught fire some 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal in Kannur. In this case too, the Coast Guard rescued most of the crew, and fought fire without a break since the ship began to list and drift towards the shore. Despite inclement weather and the raging fire, a towline was established and the ship is now being towed away from the Indian coast. Both ships had mixed cargo which also included some hazardous and noxious material.
In this conversation, DIG Ashish Mehrotra, who commands the Coast Guard’s district headquarters no. 4 that oversees Kerala and Mahe, talks about how the maritime agency responded and averted a major tragedy along the Indian coast.
Reporting: S. Anandan
Production: Shikha Kumari
Editing: BR Asif
Published – June 18, 2025 07:01 pm IST