Kochi: In a major breakthrough in the ongoing probe into the maritime disaster off the Kerala coast, Vizhinjam port operator Adani Ports has made critical statements regarding the sunken container ship, MSC Elsa 3. The company claimed that the vessel was fundamentally compromised and already listing to one side when it arrived at Vizhinjam port to load its cargo.

Backed by photographic evidence, Adani Ports stated that the ship had a starboard (right side) list of over three degrees upon arrival. Furthermore, technical evaluations revealed a severe structural leak in the vessel's ballast tank, which directly compromised its baseline operational stability.

 

Port issued three successive warning letters

Recognising the severe safety hazards, Adani Ports officials confirmed they had issued three formal 'protest letters' to the ship’s management company, explicitly documenting the dangerous tilt and the leaking ballast tank. Through these written warnings, the port administration legally absolved itself of any liability for potential accidents stemming from the vessel's structural flaws.

Explaining why a compromised ship was allowed to leave the port, Adani Ports clarified that despite the visible stability issues, the vessel possessed valid, up-to-date clearance documents issued by the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping). Consequently, the port lacked the legal authority to forcefully detain the ship, adding that ensuring a vessel's seaworthiness ultimately rests on the captain and the operating shipping line.

 

Toxic containers threaten marine ecology

The sinking resulted in approximately 143 shipping containers plunging into the sea. The situation has turned critical as several of these submerged units contain highly hazardous chemicals.

The spill has raised severe environmental alarms across the region.

  • Fisheries impact: Toxic chemical leakage poses an immediate threat to regional marine biodiversity and fish breeding grounds.
  • Livelihood crisis: The resulting contamination has severely disrupted the local fishing community, restricting safe fishing zones.

The MSC Elsa 3 had set sail from Vizhinjam after loading a massive cargo of 643 containers. However, the vessel could not cover much ground before its structural failures worsened in the deep sea, causing it to founder.


Legal and criminal probes intensify

The maritime disaster has triggered swift legal action. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed and is currently pending before the Kerala High Court. Simultaneously, the Coastal Police alongside central maritime investigative agencies have launched a full-scale criminal investigation to determine if deliberate negligence or wilful blind spots by the shipping company led to the catastrophe.

The disaster occurred on 25 May 2025, when the MSC Elsa 3 sank into the Arabian Sea near Thottappally in Alappuzha, roughly 38 nautical miles off the Kochi coast. While an immediate, coordinated rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy successfully saved all 24 crew members aboard, the incident remains one of the worst environmental and ecological disasters recorded along the Kerala coastline.