KOCHI: A container vessel reportedly carrying inflammable and toxic cargo listed off Kochi on Saturday afternoon posing the threat of environmental pollution and oil spill along Kerala’s coast.
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, the Coast Guard has issued a possible oil-spill alert after some containers fell off Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Elsa 3, a container vessel which was on its way to Cochin Port. The vessel is transporting very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), a marine fuel.
According to the Coast Guard, MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged vessel which departed from Vizhinjam port on Friday, reported listing at approximately 38 nautical miles off the Kochi coast. As per the alert, the vessel has developed a list of 26 degrees, endangering the lives of those on board as well as posing potential environmental risk.
The ship is currently in danger of sinking and the Indian Coast Guard is coordinating rescue operations. It has diverted two ships to the area, while the Navy has rushed another vessel. According to authorities, a Dornier aircraft has been deployed for monitoring and airdropping life rafts to crew members of the ship.
“The ship had 24 crew members, of which 21 have abandoned the ship and shifted to life rafts. Rescue operations are on to save the three crew members on the ship. A Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard has airdropped life rafts to facilitate further evacuation. Among the crew members, the master is a Russian citizen and 20 are of Filipino origin. Two are from Ukraine and one is from Georgia. A few of the crew members have been rescued and they are being provided medical assistance on board a Coast Guard vessel,” an officer said.
“The Coast Guard has deployed fast-patrol vessel ICGS Arnvesh, offshore-patrol vessel ICGS Saksham and a Dornier aircraft for rescue operations. The Navy has diverted Sukanya-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) INS Sujata to the area,” a defence spokesperson said.
The 184m-long vessel with a 25.30m beam was built in 1997 and has a gross tonnage of 16,799 tonnes. The ship, which set sail from Thoothukudi on May 18 docked at Vizhinjam harbour on May 21. It departed from Vizhinjam on May 23 and was expected to reach Cochin Port by 10 am on Saturday. The MSC management sounded an emergency to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai which alerted the Coast Guard at 1.25 pm on Saturday.
“The Directorate General of Shipping, in coordination with the Coast Guard, has issued directives to the ship managers for providing urgent salvage services. The developing situation is being monitored by the Coast Guard to prevent loss of life and damage to the environment, a senior officer said.
