A Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC ELSA 3, sank off the coast of Kochi on Sunday while carrying hazardous materials, fuel, and over 600 containers. The ship was en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi when it began to tilt on May 24, eventually listing 26 degrees and capsizing about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi.
All 24 crew members on board were rescued. The Indian Coast Guard evacuated 21 of them on Saturday. The remaining three, who had stayed back to assist with salvage coordination, were later rescued by INS Sujata, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
List of 13 hazardous material it was carrying
The ship was en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi. It was carrying 640 containers. Among them were 13 containing hazardous materials and 12 containing calcium carbide. It also had large quantities of fuel onboard—84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil.
A Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 sank off the coast of Kochi around 0750 hrs on 25 May after developing a 26° starboard list. All crew members were safely rescued: 21 by the @IndiaCoastGuard and 03 by INS Sujata.
The vessel, en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, was… pic.twitter.com/s3Pj1kujHZ
— Ministry of Defence, Government of India (@SpokespersonMoD) May 25, 2025
The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown. The Indian Coast Guard suspects flooding in one of the cargo holds led to the capsizing. The Ministry of Defence stated that no oil spill has been reported yet.
After the vessel tilted on Saturday, the shipping company brought another vessel to assist in rescue efforts. Twenty-one crew members were rescued that day. The remaining three were rescued on Sunday by the Navy’s INS Sujata.
SDMA warned residents; avoid debris
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued a warning to the public on Saturday. Residents along the Ernakulam and Alappuzha coasts have been asked to stay at least 200 metres away from any object that washes ashore. These could be hazardous or chemically dangerous.
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) said spilled oil could reach the coastal areas of Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Arattupuzha, and Karunagappally within 36 to 48 hours. INCOIS is tracking the movement of the containers and running simulations to predict oil spill spread, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
BREAKING: Massive container ship MSC ELSA 3 sinks off #Kochi, India — raising fears of a major environmental disaster. Toxic cargo & oil spill threaten fragile marine ecosystems & coastal livelihoods. Urgent response underway. The world must watch! #OilSpill #ClimateCrisis… pic.twitter.com/9TXmGtBMQP
— Paulose Jacob Peter (@Anand02908794) May 25, 2025
The Coast Guard ship Saksham is actively engaged in oil spill response. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft is also flying surveillance missions using tools that help measure the oil-to-water mix in a spill. This information will be used to plan clean-up efforts.
Coast Guard monitors affected area
The SDMA confirmed that the Chief Secretary of Kerala has called a meeting to assess the situation. The state government, Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and other agencies are coordinating the response.
Containers that fall into the sea can drift at roughly one kilometre per hour. Authorities expect some may reach the coastline within the next two days. The public has been asked to stay alert and report any suspicious floating objects or washed-up containers.
While the oil spill has not yet been confirmed, the presence of hazardous cargo, calcium carbide, and fuel poses a risk to marine life and coastal safety.
The Indian Coast Guard and environmental authorities are monitoring the area closely. They continue to assess damage and plan recovery steps. The Defence Ministry is expected to release more details about the hazardous cargo soon.
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