The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), supported by the Indian Navy and other agencies, is currently engaged in battling a major fire aboard the container ship MV WAN Hai 503, approximately 65 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala. The Singapore-flagged vessel experienced a significant explosion on June 9, 2025, which led to a raging fire. The vessel was en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva near Mumbai when the incident occurred.
As of June 11, 2025, over 40% of the fire has been contained, according to a situation report (SITREP) issued by the ICG, Indian Navy, and Directorate General of Shipping. However, the vessel remains unmanned and adrift, drifting in a south-southeasterly direction at approximately one knot. While the fire has been suppressed primarily in the forward bays, the stern remains clear, potentially providing a window for towing operations. Firefighting and boundary cooling operations are ongoing in the forward bays where the fire originated.
The MV WAN Hai 503 had 22 crew members on board. Following the explosion and fire, the crew abandoned the ship. A swift search and rescue operation led to the rescue of 18 crew members. However, four crew members remain missing. The rescued crew members include Chinese, Taiwanese, Myanmarese, and Indonesian nationals. China has expressed gratitude to the Indian Navy and Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue efforts.
The vessel had 1754 containers onboard, including 143 containing International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo. The Director General of Shipping has released a list of 157 containers carrying hazardous cargo, confirming the presence of explosives on the vessel, which are suspected to have triggered the initial blast. The ship also contains approximately 2000 tonnes of fuel oil and 240 tonnes of diesel oil in tanks located adjacent to the fire zone, posing a significant risk of escalation.
Several containers have gone overboard and are drifting in a southeasterly direction, posing a traffic hazard. Salvage teams are leading the recovery efforts, and discussions are ongoing regarding the feasibility of sinking containers that pose navigational threats.
The Indian Coast Guard has deployed multiple vessels, including Samudra Prahari, Sachet, Rajdoot, Arnvesh, and Abhinav, for firefighting, rescue operations, and support. The Indian Navy vessel INS Sutlej has also joined the operations. A Dornier aircraft is conducting aerial surveillance, and additional supply vessels are being deployed for container search and retrieval.
The situation is being closely monitored due to the presence of hazardous materials and the potential for oil spills. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued an alert for the coast of Kerala, anticipating potential debris and oil spill.
