Kochi (Kerala) [India], June 10: An explosion beneath the deck of the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV WAN HAI 503, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, has left four crew members missing and five injured, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) confirmed on Monday. The ship, carrying containerized cargo with 22 crew members onboard, was located 130 nautical miles northwest of the Kerala coast when the incident occurred.
Responding swiftly, the Indian Coast Guard diverted multiple ships and aircraft to the site for firefighting and rescue operations. Ships ICGS Rajdoot (from New Mangalore), ICGS Arnvesh (off Kochi), and ICGS Sachet (off Agatti) were redirected for emergency assistance. A Coast Guard aircraft was also deployed to assess the situation and dropped air-droppable survival gear at the scene.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Coast Guard said:
“Quick response by Indian Coast Guard after explosion on Singapore-flagged MV WAN HAI 503, 130 NM NW of Kerala coast. ICG aircraft assessed the scene & dropped air-droppable. Four ICG ships diverted for rescue.”
The explosion caused multiple fires and structural damage, with flames erupting from mid-ship areas and the container bay near the accommodation block. While the forward bay fire is now under control, thick smoke continues to rise, and the vessel is reportedly listing 10–15 degrees to port, with some containers lost overboard.
ICG ships Samudra Prahari and Sachet are actively engaged in fire suppression and boundary cooling. Meanwhile, ICG ship Samarth is en route from Kochi along with salvage experts to support ongoing rescue efforts.
Authorities stated that further updates will be shared as the situation develops.