Meanwhile, the remaining containers are being offloaded onto another vessel. A high-level meeting led by the Chief Secretary on Sunday will assess the situation.
Published May 25, 2025 | 9:59 AM ⚊ Updated May 25, 2025 | 2:46 PM
MSC ELSA 3 sinking.
Synopsis: The container ship MSC ELSA 3, which had listed off the Kochi coast, sank on Sunday, causing more containers to fall into the sea. Some containers have drifted up to a kilometre from the site, prompting warnings to fishermen and coastal residents in Ernakulam and Alappuzha.
A day after the container ship MSC ELSA 3 began drifting off the Kochi coast, the vessel sank on Sunday, 25 May, causing more containers to fall into the sea and increasing the risk of environmental damage. The Indian Navy is exploring towing options to prevent further impact.
Of the 24 crew members of the ship, 21 were rescued on Saturday itself, while the three who remained onboard according to company orders were evacuated in the early hours of Sunday due to worsening conditions.
Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan said the cause of the vessel’s tilting is yet to be confirmed, but cited strong winds, high waves, or loading issues as possible factors. Around 400 containers were on board, and at least eight had fallen off the ship by Saturday.
The 184-metre-long Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3, which had departed Vizhinjam Port on 23 May, reported a 26-degree list around 1.25 pm on Saturday, approximately 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. The vessel, operated by MSC Ship Management, was en route to Kochi when the crew alerted Indian authorities and sought urgent assistance.
According to officials, the ship completely sank on Sunday, 14.6 nautical miles from the Thottappally spillway. About 100 containers may have fallen into the sea, and the ship’s fuel oil has also leaked.
Currently, the Coast Guard is taking action to contain the oil using two ships. A Donnier aircraft is being used to spray oil-dispersing powder on the oil slick. Since the oil field can reach anywhere, the Kerala coast has been put on full alert.
Some containers have drifted up to a kilometre from the site, prompting warnings to fishermen and coastal residents in Ernakulam and Alappuzha. Authorities are concerned about potential oil spills.
Meanwhile, the remaining containers are being offloaded onto another vessel. A high-level meeting led by the Chief Secretary on Sunday will assess the situation.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) released a probability map showing Ernakulam and Alappuzha at high risk for container landfall, with moderate risk in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
The Coast Guard, Navy, Disaster Management Authority, and Coastal Police are coordinating efforts using ships and aircraft, with containers drifting at about 1 km/hr.
The Indian Coast Guard swiftly launched coordinated rescue operations, deploying ships and aircraft to the location, and the Directorate General of Shipping directed the ship’s managers to urgently arrange salvage services.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any loss of life or environmental hazard. The Indian Coast Guard had issued a high-alert warning to Kerala on Saturday over the possible arrival of hazardous cargo and oil along the state’s coastline.
The alert was sounded after the agency detected multiple dangerous objects floating in the deep-sea areas of the Arabian Sea, suspected to have fallen from the ship.
Following the detection, the coast guard immediately alerted the KSDMA, cautioning them about the potential risks posed to coastal communities and the marine environment.
The KSDMA, in a statement, confirmed the receipt of the alert and said there is a high possibility of such goods and oil traces washing up along the Kerala shores in the coming days. The agency has issued strict directions to district administrations, coastal police, and port authorities to sensitise the public about the risks.
It advised people residing along the coast, as well as fishermen and tourists, to refrain from touching, opening, or moving any unidentified containers or suspicious floating materials that may reach the shore. In case of spotting such objects or signs of an oil spill, the public has been instructed to immediately inform the nearest authorities or disaster management teams.
The vessel was reportedly carrying 367.1 metric tonnes (MT) of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), a type of marine oil, and 84.4 MT of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) when the incident occurred.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman and Dileep V Kumar.)
