A major marine safety and pollution response operation is underway off the coast of Kerala after a Liberian-flagged container ship, MSC ELSA 3, carrying hazardous cargo and large quantities of oil, capsized and sank on Sunday. All 24 crew members have been rescued, but authorities remain on high alert due to the environmental risks posed by the sunken vessel.

According to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the 184-metre-long vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo—12 of which contained calcium carbide. The ship also had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks, raising concerns about a potential oil spill.

Coast Guard Ship Saksham, equipped with pollution response gear, has been deployed to the site, while ICG aircraft with advanced oil spill mapping technology are conducting aerial assessments. “Presently, no oil spill has been reported,” the ICG said in a statement.

The vessel began listing about 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on Saturday, prompting a distress signal at 1:25 p.m. The company reported a 26-degree tilt and sought urgent assistance. While most of the crew were rescued earlier, INS Sujata retrieved the remaining three crew members by Saturday evening as more containers fell into the sea.

'Gave Distress Signal, Vessel Was About To Sink': Survivors Recount Navy, Coast Guard Rescue

One crew member told news agency IANS, “We called the distress signal from our vessel to the Indian Coast Guard due to flooding in our vessel. Indian Coast Guard came for help and rescued us. Now we are in Coast Guard vessel…”

Another survivor added, “Yesterday, our vessel got into distress and was about to sink. We sent a distress signal to the Indian Coast Guard, who promptly came to our rescue…”

The incident has triggered heightened pollution response measures, especially given the ecological sensitivity of Kerala’s coastline, known for its rich marine biodiversity and tourism value. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has urged residents not to approach any washed-up containers or oil patches, and to inform the police if they spot any such materials.

The ship had departed from Vizhinjam port on 24 May en route to Kochi. Its 24-member crew included one Russian (the Master), 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian national.

A Defence PRO confirmed that another vessel from the parent company has reached the site to support ongoing operations. Meanwhile, Coast Guard and Navy assets continue to monitor the situation closely.

The ICG stated it is “fully geared to respond to the emerging scenario” and is keeping a close watch on the environmental impact from the sunken MSC ELSA 3.