Beypore: A severe onboard fire broke out on the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503, currently floating adrift off Kozhikode’s coast, triggering a large-scale maritime rescue operation. Explosions reported under the deck early Monday ignited flames in multiple containers, sending the vessel into crisis.
According to emergency responders, 18 of the 22-member crew were safely evacuated by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. However, four crew members—two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one from Myanmar—remained unaccounted for. At least five others sustained injuries aboard the vessel, with one crew member reported in critical condition.
The blaze and accompanying explosions have been classified as “uncontrollable”, posing significant danger to first responders. Efforts to subdue the fire are intensifying as Coast Guard divers and Navy divers assess the container deck while coordinating air-sea operations led by INS Surat and stationed Coast Guard ships. A Dornier patrol aircraft from INS Garuda and Coast Guard vessels including Rajdoot, Arnvesh, and Sachet continue to monitor the situation from above.
With one crew member in serious condition, arrangements are underway to medically evacuate him via naval helicopter to a hospital in Mangaluru. Meanwhile, search parties persist in combing the fire-engulfed ship for the four missing seafarers, working under the constant threat of further explosions.
Currently afloat approximately 78–88 nautical miles off Beypore, between Kozhikode and Kannur, the Wan Hai 503, carrying nearly 650 containers, remains unanchored. Authorities are cautiously evaluating the flammable and potentially hazardous nature of its cargo. The vessel initially departed Colombo on June 7 and was en route to Mumbai when the incident occurred.
The priority for the rescue teams is clear: save lives, contain the blaze, and prevent environmental damage. As nighttime approaches, the operation continues under difficult conditions, with hopes pinned on rescuing all crew and stabilizing the vessel soon.