Blaze continues on MV Wan Hai 503; Explosives onboard prompt Kerala Coast alert
KOCHI : Indian Coast Guard ships on Wednesday continued to battle thick smoke after a massive blaze broke out aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV WAN HAI 503 off the Kerala coast. The Director General (DG) of Shipping released a list of 157 containers carrying hazardous cargo, but details of the explosives have not been revealed.
Thick plumes of smoke continue to billow from the ship, complicating efforts to douse the flames. However, sources confirmed the presence of explosives in the vessel, saying they might have triggered the blast.
A top official said the shipping firm has been told that the vessel will not be allowed to dock at Indian ports and they will have to take it off Indian waters after dousing the fire.
“We have confirmed the presence of explosives on the vessel. But the list of dangerous goods released does not have these details. We believe the initial blast was triggered by the explosives and the fire spread to the inflammable cargo. Among the 18 crew members, five sustained burn injuries and were admitted to a hospital. The others are lodged in a hotel. The DG Shipping authorities will start recording their statements on Wednesday. The salvage team appointed by the shipping firm will arrive in Kochi on Wednesday morning. There are expert chemists in the team and the efforts to neutralise the toxic chemicals will be taken up based on their advice,” said a senior officer.
According to the Indian Coast Guard, four crew members were reported missing following the explosion on Monday, and five others sustained injuries. The vessel was carrying containerised cargo and had a total crew of 22 onboard. CGDO on task was diverted for assessment.
Of the 18 rescued crew members of the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503, six were brought to the AJ Hospital for medical treatment post-midnight on Tuesday. Dinesh Kadam, Plastic Surgeon at AJ Hospital, said that two rescuees had critical injuries with 35 to 40 per cent burns.
Indian Coast Guard vessels Samudra Prahari and Sachet toiled hard pumping water at high force on the vessel to contain the flames while other ICG vessels Samarth, Abhinav and Arnvesh were, in addition to providing support, coordinating rescue operations. Indian Navy vessel INS Sutlej also joined the operations on Tuesday evening.
The Dornier aircraft of Coast Guard deployed for surveillance has sighted around 10 to 15 containers drifting in the southeasterly direction. The estimated speed of the drift is 1 to 1.5 knots per hour. If unchecked, these containers may reach Kerala coast between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram by Thursday. The contents of the floating containers remain unknown, and their potential for hazard is under assessment.
The vessel is drifting at approximately one nautical mile in a southerly direction and is an imminent threat considering the fuel on board combined with 157 containers with dangerous goods, including 32.2 tonnes of Nitrocellulose with Alcohol.
The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore has recommended immediate commencement of boundary cooling near the affected bays and adjacent fuel tanks to prevent secondary fire hazards.
The ship owners have appointed T&T Salvage for salvage operations. However, the expert firefighting personnel are yet to be appointed and discussions are on regarding mobilisation or consultation of professionals from the UK or the Netherlands.
As per the Cargo Manifest, 157 containers had dangerous cargo, including flammable liquids and solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, and toxic and corrosive substances. A comprehensive international Maritime Dangerous Goods Manifest is still awaited.
The DG Shipping and the shipping firm have deployed tugs Water Lily and Offshore Warrior with firefighting capability to contain the blaze. Meanwhile, the DG Shipping has informed that an investigator appointed by the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore will arrive in Kochi early on Wednesday