25/05/2025
Container Carrier with ‘Hazardous Materials’ Sinks Off Indian Coast
A container carrier loaded with "hazardous materials" has sunk off India’s southwestern coast, Indian authorities announced on Sunday, May 25, stating that all 24 crew members have been rescued.
The MSC ELSA-3, a Liberia-flagged cargo vessel measuring 184 meters, had departed from Vizhinjam Port in Kerala state en route to Kochi (formerly Cochin), when it issued a distress call on Saturday. An Indian Navy aircraft was deployed and later identified two lifeboats, while the container carrier was found to have gone down about 70 kilometers from Kochi.
In a statement, the Indian Ministry of Defence confirmed, "All 24 crew members on board have been rescued." The sailors were primarily from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, and the Philippines. “The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 hazardous materials and 12 containers of calcium carbide,” the statement added.
The ministry did not specify which hazardous materials were involved. Calcium carbide is commonly used in the chemical industry, including for fertilizer and steel production. The container ship was also carrying 370 tons of fuel and oil, but “there has been no leakage at this time,” the ministry noted.