Fire Aboard Singapore-Flagged Cargo Ship Leaves Four Crew Missing Near Kerala Coast

Mon Oct 20 2025 06:34:31 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Indian Coast Guard and Navy continue rescue efforts as MV Wan Hai 503 burns after explosion; fears grow over potential oil spill.

A fire broke out on the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, while sailing off the coast of Kerala, India. Eighteen crew members were rescued but four remain missing, prompting an international rescue operation. Concerns are rising about an oil spill as containers from the ship drift along the coast.

The Indian Navy and Coast Guard are actively working to control a significant fire that erupted on Monday on the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, situated in the Arabian Sea off the southern coast of India, specifically near Kerala. The vessel was en route from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mumbai, India, when an internal explosion within a container led to a catastrophic blaze on board.

So far, 18 crew members have been successfully rescued, however, four individuals are still unaccounted for. One of the concerns leading to increased action from both Indian and Singaporean authorities is the potential risk of an oil spill. The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has dispatched a team to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts.

As per reports, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has raised an alert regarding the possibility of drifting debris and oil pollution impacting the coastal waters of Kerala. Footage captured on Tuesday revealed billowing smoke rising from the MV Wan Hai 503 while rescue personnel continued their attempt to extinguish the flames.

In an operation executed on Monday, the Indian Navy rescued 18 of the 22 crew members who abandoned ship, seeking safety in a lifeboat. Some of the rescued crew members are presently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during the incident.

The MPA has confirmed that out of the missing crew, two are from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia. In addition, Kerala Ports Minister VN Vasavan reported that approximately 50 containers fell into the sea during the fire, raising alarms as the ship was carrying 100 tonnes of bunker oil.

Authorities fear the fallen containers may drift in the Arabian Sea and potentially impact Kerala's coastline within days. This incident follows a similar occurrence just three weeks prior, where a Liberian-flagged tanker carrying oil and harmful cargo sank, triggering health and environmental concerns for the coastal population and marine life. Consequently, the state government restricted fishing activities within a 20-nautical mile radius of that incident and pledged compensation to affected fishing communities in four districts.

With Kerala's coastal biodiversity and tourism heavily reliant on its marine health, local governments and authorities are on high alert for any potential fallout from this latest maritime disaster.