Containership Sinks Off India: Environmental Concerns Arise

The MSC ELSA 3, carrying hazardous chemicals, sinks, prompting pollution response. All crew members rescued.

NEW DELHI – A container vessel laden with hundreds of cargo containers, including hazardous chemicals, sank off the coast of southern India on Sunday morning. Efforts to salvage the ship, the Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3, proved unsuccessful.

All 24 crew members were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the navy. The 184-meter-long ship was traveling from Vizhinjam port to Kochi when it began tilting on Saturday, approximately 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi.

Coast guard patrol ships and the merchant vessels MV Han Yi and MSC Silver 2 were diverted to assist the capsizing vessel. The ship sank due to flooding around 7:50 am on Sunday, according to a statement from the Indian defence ministry.

The MSC ELSA 3 was carrying 640 containers, including 13 containers of hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide. The vessel also held 84 tonnes of diesel and 367 tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks. The crew consisted of 20 members from the Philippines, along with Ukrainian, Georgian, and Russian nationals.

In light of the sensitive marine ecosystem along the Kerala coast, the ICG has initiated full pollution response preparedness. The Indian defence ministry reported, "ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance, and ICG ship Saksham, carrying pollution response equipment, remains deployed at the site. So far, no oil spill has been reported."