Explosion Hits Wan Hai 503 Off Kerala Coast

On June 9, a serious explosion occurred on board the Singapore-registered container ship Wan Hai 503, situated approximately 130 nautical miles northwest of India's Kerala coast. The incident prompted a rapid response from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Indian Navy.

Alert and Initial Response

The blast was reported around 10:30 AM local time by the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai, which promptly relayed the alert to its Kochi counterpart. In reaction, the Indian Navy diverted the warship INS Surat to assist the stricken vessel.

Casualties and Vessel Status

According to the Indian Coast Guard's Public Relations Officer, the ship was transporting containerized cargo with 22 crew members aboard. Five sailors were injured during the explosion, and four are still unaccounted for. The vessel, currently adrift and engulfed in flames, remains a critical focus of the ongoing emergency operation.

Rescue Operations Underway

Several ICG assets, including the ships Rajdoot, Arnvesh, and Sachet, were immediately reassigned from other tasks to support the mission. Additionally, a Dornier surveillance aircraft has been deployed to survey and monitor the scene from the air.

Ship Background and Voyage Details

Wan Hai 503, constructed in 2005, has a capacity of 4,252 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). Data reveals that the 268.8-meter-long vessel had departed Colombo Port in Sri Lanka on June 7 and was scheduled to reach Nhava Sheva in India on June 10.

The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation as authorities continue search and rescue efforts.