Cargo ship fire: China thanks Indian Navy, Mumbai Coast Guard for swift rescue operation

New Delhi: China has expressed gratitude to Indian maritime forces for their swift response after a fire and explosion broke out aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala on Monday.

Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, said in a post on X: “On June 9, MV Wan Hai 503 encountered an onboard explosion and fire 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, Kerala. Of the total 22 crew members on board, 14 are Chinese, including 6 from Taiwan. Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members a speedy recovery.”

The vessel, located approximately 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, continues to experience sporadic explosions and fires, Indian Coast Guard officials said on Tuesday. Flames have been reported from the mid-ship section and a container bay near the accommodation block.

Although the forward bay fire has been brought under control, thick smoke continues to rise from the ship, which is now listing about 10 to 15 degrees to port. Several containers have also reportedly fallen overboard.

Indian Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari and Sachet remain on scene, engaged in firefighting and boundary cooling to prevent further spread of the flames. Another vessel, Samarth, carrying a team of salvors, has been dispatched from Kochi to assist in the operation.

Earlier, the Indian Navy's INS Surat successfully evacuated 18 crew members from the burning vessel on Monday, with the rescued personnel brought ashore at Mangalore Port by 11:30 p.m. that night. Coordinated firefighting efforts continued throughout the night, according to a Defence PRO.