A massive fire aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 triggered a dramatic maritime rescue, with the Indian Navy saving 18 out of 22 crew members after the ship suffered an internal explosion off the Kerala coast. Two rescued crew members are in critical condition with severe burns and are undergoing intensive care in Mangaluru.
Six injured crew members were brought to AJ Hospital past midnight, where Dr. Dinesh Kadam, a plastic surgeon, confirmed that all six suffered burn injuries — three Chinese, two Myanmarese, and one Indonesian. “Two have 35 to 40 per cent burns, mostly respiratory in nature, which are particularly serious. They are under close observation and critical care,” he said.
The Indian Navy’s INS Surat, which executed the rescue operation in coordination with the Coast Guard, DG Shipping, and other maritime agencies, docked at the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) in Panambur with the injured crew.
The fire reportedly began following an explosion in a container aboard the ship while it was en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, Mumbai. The vessel was approximately 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, Kerala, and 130 nautical miles northwest of Kochi at the time of the incident.
The Navy reported that the multinational crew included eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese, and three Indonesians. Following the explosion, the crew abandoned ship, prompting the emergency response.
Of the 22 onboard, 18 have been rescued while four remain missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
“Initial reports indicate that 10 to 15 containers have fallen overboard. The Navy responded quickly after receiving inputs at around 0930 hours on June 9, and by 1630 hours, the crew members were rescued and provided first aid,” a Navy spokesperson said.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the explosion and assessing potential environmental and cargo-related damage from the fire.
