KOCHI/ KOZHIKODE : A major maritime disaster unfolded on Monday when a Singapore-flagged container vessel, MV Wan Hai 503, en route to Mumbai from Colombo caught fire following a massive explosion roughly 88 nautical miles off the Beypore coast, Kozhikode.
Four of the 22 crew members remain missing, and grave concerns are rising over a potential environmental catastrophe, as the ship was carrying a large number of containers loaded with hazardous and explosive chemicals. The 270-metre-long vessel, operated by BSM (Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement), was navigating through the international shipping lane between Azhikkal and Beypore when it reported a blast around 9.30am to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai.
A full-scale rescue and firefighting operation was immediately launched by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy, with five Coast Guard ships and INS Surat, which was diverted from its route to Kochi, rushing to the site.
According to Mercantile Marine Department officials, the cargo included more than 600 containers, of which approximately 150 contained dangerous goods — including gunpowder, trinitrotoluene (TNT), lithium batteries, acids, and turpentine. Officials fear some materials may ignite spontaneously and pose a serious threat to marine life and the environment.
As the fire intensified, containers began to fall into the sea, with over 50 believed to be lost, raising alarms of toxic spillage.
Of the 22 crew members, 18 — including the ship’s captain — were rescued by naval forces and merchant vessels, One Marvel and Ambara, which were in the vicinity. Of the 18, five are injured, with two reportedly suffering severe burns. The rescued persons — from Taiwan, Myanmar, Indonesia and Thailand — were taken to Mangaluru late on Monday.
Ship remains afloat but is drifting
The four missing persons include two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one Myanmarese national who were reportedly attempting to extinguish the fire at the time of the explosion.
Coast Guard aircraft are conducting aerial surveillance while multiple interceptor boats have joined the search and rescue (SAR) efforts. Due to intense heat and toxic smoke, rescue teams are unable to board the burning vessel. The ship remains afloat but is drifting, with all nearby marine traffic alerted to maintain distance.
“It is likely that the container vessel will be abandoned as there are fears that further attempts to extinguish the fire may lead to a massive explosion,” said an official, who wished not to be named. “The damage to the marine and the environment will be huge,” he said.
The Kozhikode collector confirmed that emergency protocols have been activated across Kozhikode, Kannur, and other coastal areas. The Coastal police, fisheries department, and Emergency Operations Centres in Kozhikode, Koyilandy, and Vadakara have been placed on high alert.
The Directorate General of Shipping, MRCC, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard are jointly coordinating efforts to bring the situation under control. The authorities have asked the shipping company to urgently provide a complete cargo manifest, but no official response has been received so far.