Police have initiated efforts to ascertain the identity of the deceased and establish whether there is a connection to the maritime incident.
Published Jun 17, 2025 | 11:03 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 17, 2025 | 11:03 AM
MV Wan Hai 503 on fire.
Synopsis: An unidentified body, suspected to be a foreign national who was one of the crew members reported missing from the ill-fated container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, washed ashore in the Alappuzha district. Meanwhile, the salvage operations on two stricken container vessels off the Kerala coast remain precarious as inclement monsoon weather continues to thwart efforts.
An unidentified body was found washed ashore near the Arthunkal Harbour in the Alappuzha district of Kerala on Tuesday, 17 June. The decomposed body of the man, estimated to be around four days old, was recovered from the seashore near the Aayiramthai Fish Land area under the Arthunkal Police Station limits.
The fishermen who found the body informed the local police, who alerted the Coastal Police and the Deputy Collector of Alappuzha.
Authorities suspect the deceased could be a foreign national who was one of the four crew members reported missing from the ill-fated container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire off the Kerala coast on 9 June. The Coast Guard had rescued 18 of the total 22 crew members of the vessel.
Police have initiated efforts to ascertain the identity of the deceased and establish whether there is a connection to the maritime incident.
Meanwhile, the salvage operations on two stricken container vessels — MV Wan Hai 503 and MSC ELSA 3 — off the Kerala coast remain precarious as inclement monsoon weather continues to thwart efforts. Both vessels pose significant environmental and navigational hazards, with authorities warning of worsening sea conditions in the coming days.
The Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on 9 June, remains offshore with a cargo of heavy fuel oil, diesel oil, and partially burned hazardous goods. Even though the immediate drift towards the coast has been stabilised, salvage experts describe the situation as “extremely delicate and susceptible to rapid change”.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast persistent westerly winds of 50-60 kmph, rough seas with swells averaging 3.5 to four metres, and intermittent heavy rain, sharply narrowing the operational window for stabilisation and firefighting.
Discussions are reportedly underway with multiple agencies to secure approval for a long-haul tow of the vessel to a port of refuge in the Middle East, contingent on achieving full firefighting control offshore.
However, the adverse weather — including wind gusts reaching up to 57 knots and near-zero visibility — continues to severely restrict operations.
Meanwhile, in the case of MSC ELSA 3, the primary environmental threat remains the unextracted fuel oil onboard.
Owing to repeated delays, BMC Consultants, representing the shipowners and insurers, have finalised the decision to replace the current salvor and appoint an alternate contractor for the critical oil extraction.
Given the onset of peak monsoon and deteriorating conditions, the consultants have recommended that saturation diving operations for fuel removal be undertaken only during favourable weather, to avoid the risk of secondary spills and operational mishaps.
Officials said that while the main structural drift towards the Indian coast has been controlled for now, the vessel, Wan Hai 503, continues to remain highly vulnerable due to persistent adverse sea and weather conditions that demand continuous course correction and real-time adjustments.
A situation report stated, “The primary zone of ongoing combustion remains concentrated in the forward section near Frame 113, which continues to require close firefighting attention to prevent flare-ups and ensure containment of chemical fumes. These residual fires, though significantly reduced, continue to release hazardous fumes that require close monitoring for the safety of personnel and any potential environmental impact.”
“At present, the weather remains a major operational constraint. Sea conditions continue to deteriorate with swells averaging 3.5 to 4 metres. Winds remain strong at 38 knots, with gusts reaching up to 57 knots, accompanied by intermittent periods of very heavy rainfall and near-zero visibility, which significantly limits both firefighting and towing operations. These conditions are directly impacting the ability to conduct safe boarding, internal fire assessment, and crew transfer operations onboard,” it added.
The report highlighted that IMD forecasts indicate ongoing heavy rainfall, persistent westerly winds in the 50-60 kmph range, and rough sea states over Kerala for the next several days, further narrowing the available operational window for stabilisation. Parallel discussions are actively underway with relevant agencies to secure approval for eventual long-haul towing towards a port of refuge in the Middle East, contingent upon achieving full firefighting control and stabilisation offshore.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
