Three Indian Coast Guard ships deployed to tackle oil container ship incident off Kochi coast, says Sonowal

In the wake of the capsizing of cargo vessel MSC ELSA III off the Kerala coast near Kochi, the Indian Coast Guard on Monday deployed three capital ships — ICG Samarth, ICG Saksham, and ICG Vikram — as part of an urgent multi-agency effort to prevent a marine pollution disaster.

"Held a detailed review with DG Shipping, Secretary (Shipping) and other senior officials to assess the urgent measures being undertaken by the ministry to address the situation arising from the capsizing of MSC ELSA III off the Kerala coast near Kochi. We are fully committed to ensuring the complete salvage of marine fuel and other hazardous materials being transported in 13 IMDG containers. All crew members have been safely evacuated with the assistance of the Indian Coast Guard," he wrote in a post on social media platform X.

The union minister also confirmed that the pollution response vessel Sagar Prahari had departed from Mumbai and was en route to the site. Regular aerial surveillance is being carried out using Dornier aircraft equipped with the MSS 6000 system to detect and monitor oil spillage.

"Three capital ships - ICG Samarth, ICG Saksham and ICG Vikram have been deployed to the affected area. Additionally, the pollution response vessel Sagar Prahari departed from Mumbai today and is en route to the site. Regular aerial surveillance is being carried out using Dornier aircraft equipped with the MSS 6000 system to monitor any oil spillage," he added.

Container ship capsized with hazardous cargo

The 184-metre-long MSC ELSA III, en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, began listing dangerously on Saturday, May 24, and eventually capsized and sank the next day, about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. It had reported a 26-degree starboard list and issued a distress call after taking on water.

The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 IMDG containers with hazardous chemicals and 12 containers of calcium carbide, a reactive substance used in fertiliser production and steelmaking. It was also laden with 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, raising fears of a large-scale environmental crisis.

Full crew rescued amid worsening conditions

All 24 crew members aboard — including one Russian, 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian — were safely evacuated. The Indian Coast Guard rescued 21 crew members on May 24, while INS Sujata rescued the remaining three after the vessel had capsized.

The Ministry of Defence stated the ship sank due to flooding and warned that the incident poses a threat to the “sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala’s coast.”

Statewide alert and emergency measures

In response, the Kerala state government has declared a statewide emergency, with Chief Secretary A Jayathilak convening a high-level meeting. A coastal alert has been issued, particularly for districts along the Arabian Sea.

Authorities have advised fishermen to remain ashore and warned the public not to approach or touch any oil slicks or containers that wash up. Some containers have already begun drifting to shore. A public advisory urges people to maintain a minimum distance of 200 metres from any suspicious materials and to contact emergency services via 112.