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A large-scale emergency response is underway in the Arabian Sea after a fire broke out aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, currently drifting within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), just 42 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi.
The vessel, carrying 2,128 metric tonnes of hazardous cargo classified under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) code, has been on fire since earlier this week. The flames have proven difficult to control due to the flammable nature of the cargo and a structural tilt of 10–15 degrees, increasing the risk of capsizing and an ecological spill.
Indian Air Force Joins Firefighting Effort
In a major escalation of the firefighting effort, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has joined the Indian Coast Guard and Navy in a high-risk mission to douse the blaze. An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter conducted aerial sorties on Thursday, releasing over 2,600 kg of Dry Chemical Powder (DCP), as water-based firefighting has been largely ineffective against the chemical-fuelled fire.
Back-to-back sorties are now being flown to support ground and sea units in containing the inferno and cooling the vessel.
Crew Rescue and Missing Personnel
Of the 22 crew members on board at the time of the incident, 18 have been rescued. Four sailors—two Taiwanese, one Indonesian, and one Myanmar national—remain missing. Search operations are being carried out by ships and aircraft in a wide arc around the incident site.
The rescued crew includes eight Chinese nationals, as well as others from Taiwan, Myanmar, and Indonesia. They were evacuated using lifeboats and picked up by Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels. All are currently hospitalized and in stable condition.
Coordinated Maritime Response in Motion
The fire was first reported at 9:20 a.m. on Monday, when the vessel was about 130 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva Port in Maharashtra. The ship was carrying over 1,000 containers, many of them filled with hazardous chemicals.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai swung into action after receiving an alert from a nearby cargo ship, MV Valencia. The Indian Coast Guard deployed five ships—ICGS Sachet, Abhinav, Samudra Prahari, Rajdoot, and Arnvesh—along with interceptor boat C-144, all equipped with firefighting and pollution-control systems. Two Dornier surveillance aircraft and a Coast Guard helicopter have been airborne, coordinating visuals and tactical response.
Simultaneously, the Indian Navy dispatched INS Surat and activated INS Garuda for helicopter support and logistics coordination.
Environmental Risk and Shipping Disruptions
With its engine shut down, MV Wan Hai 503 is drifting under the influence of ocean currents, raising concerns about a potential collision or chemical spill. Several containers have already toppled into the sea while thick plumes of smoke continue to rise from the ship.
In light of the threat, the Shipping Ministry has diverted all merchant and cargo vessels operating in the region. Authorities in Singapore, as well as the vessel’s operators, have been alerted.
Preventing a Maritime Catastrophe
Officials have described the situation as one of the most complex maritime emergencies in recent years. The fire, hazardous materials, structural instability, and drifting trajectory have necessitated a multi-agency, multi-force response in India.
Efforts are now focused on towing the vessel to safety, stabilising its tilt, and preventing any toxic leaks from entering the marine ecosystem. With the Indian Coast Guard, Navy, and now the Air Force working in tandem, authorities are hopeful of averting a full-blown maritime disaster.
Team BharatShakti
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
