{"id":178203,"date":"2025-06-12T10:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T10:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/178203\/"},"modified":"2025-06-12T10:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T10:56:10","slug":"officials-race-to-tow-burning-ship-away-from-india-coast-to-prevent-ecological-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/178203\/","title":{"rendered":"Officials race to tow burning ship away from India coast to prevent ‘ecological disaster’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indian Coast Guard is trying to tow a burning Singapore-flagged cargo ship<\/a> away from the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea, to prevent “a potential ecological disaster”.<\/p>\n

The Indian defence ministry on Wednesday said that the situation remains critical and efforts are under way to establish a tow line and pull the vessel away from the coast.<\/p>\n

The MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire on Monday, is carrying 2,128 tonnes of fuel and hundreds of containers – including hazardous cargo – raising environmental concerns. <\/p>\n

Although visible flames have significantly reduced following firefighting efforts, the blaze remains active in the inner decks and near the fuel tanks, the ministry said.<\/a><\/p>\n

It added that five salvage team members and an aircrew diver have been sent to help with the towing operation. <\/p>\n

“The situation remains critical and is being monitored continuously.”<\/p>\n

The vessel, which was heading to Mumbai city on India’s western coast from Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, caught fire after an internal container explosion. <\/p>\n

Eighteen crew members have been rescued so far but four others are still missing and a massive rescue operation has been launched to find them. <\/p>\n

The Indian Coast Guard said that conditions at sea remain unfavourable<\/a> and that their priority was to extinguish the fire and prevent a marine disaster.<\/p>\n

It has deployed five ships, two aircraft and a helicopter to help douse the fire. A separate salvage team appointed by the ship owner, along with two vessels from the shipping ministry, are also helping with the efforts. <\/p>\n

This is the second shipping incident to have happened off Kerala’s coast in less than three weeks.<\/p>\n

Last month, a Liberian-flagged vessel carrying oil and hazardous cargo leaked and sank in the Arabian Sea, triggering an environmental emergency.<\/p>\n

The Kerala state government swiftly banned fishing within a 20-nautical mile radius of the shipwreck and announced compensation for families from fishing communities in four affected districts.<\/p>\n

An underwater operation has been launched to cap the ship’s oil tank and salvage its fuel.<\/p>\n

Manorama News reported<\/a> that on Wednesday, the Indian Ministry of Ports issued a formal notice to the vessel’s management company, warning of legal action if extraction of oil from the ship is not started by Friday.<\/p>\n

“The progress made in this operation is grossly inadequate and continues to fall short of the timelines and operational commitments previously provided by the salvors and owners,” it said.<\/p>\n

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