Three suspicious containers washed ashore on the beaches of Palghar district in Maharashtra on Sunday, prompting high alert in coastal villages. Two of the containers were discovered on Satpati beach, while the remaining one was found on Shirgaon beach. Authorities are treating the situation seriously, addressing it as both a security and environmental concern.

Upon receiving the alert, the Indian Coast Guard and Palghar Police immediately rushed to the sites and cordoned off the areas to restrict public access. Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of Palghar, confirmed the reports of the unidentified containers.

The rising sea tides have complicated efforts to inspect the containers, as they are partially submerged. Authorities are coordinating with the Coast Guard to ensure a safe and controlled recovery operation. Local authorities suspect the containers may have originated from a shipwreck or a vessel in distress in deep waters. However, the origin and contents of the containers remain unconfirmed.

Citizens are urged to stay away from the beaches until the containers are secured and examined. Bomb disposal and hazardous materials teams are on standby until the containers are inspected and cleared.

Earlier this year, a container washed up on Vasai beach, raising concerns about maritime and coastal security. Authorities are considering all possibilities, including the containers being cargo lost during rough seas or illegal dumping. The Palghar Police and Coast Guard have launched a joint investigation, involving maritime authorities to trace the containers' origin through shipping logs and coastal surveillance data.

In a similar incident, mystery containers from a shipwreck in Oman drifted to Palghar's shores, causing concern among local fishermen and residents. The cargo vessel MV Phoenix 15 sank off the coast of Oman in August, causing dozens of containers to float into the Arabian Sea. Fishermen spotted several half-submerged containers drifting close to the Satpati and Shirgaon coastline. Police have warned that more containers could reach nearby stretches such as Mahim and Vadarai. Authorities had previously cautioned fishermen to remain alert, as the half-submerged containers posed a risk of collision with fishing boats. The exact contents of the containers remain unknown, and high tides have made access more difficult.

In July 2025, an unidentified shipping container washed ashore at Rajodi-Kalamb Beach in Vasai, triggering a swift response from local authorities. The Indian Navy had issued a warning about a lost container suspected to have fallen off a cargo vessel traveling from Karachi, Pakistan, to China. Navy intelligence had alerted coastal states, including Maharashtra, that the container may drift towards the western Maharashtra coastline or the southern Gujarat region.