Liberian ship sinks off Kerala coast: Indian Coast Guard ramps up oil spill mitigation efforts | Watch

Authorities in Kerala on Monday said many of its containers have started to wash ashore, with some of those being found along the coasts of southern Kollam and Alappuzha districts.

The Indian Coast Guard has deployed offshore patrol vessels for monitoring of the site while pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari has been mobilised as the ICG intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts as a Liberian cargo ship sank off the Kerala coast causing oil slick.

Authorities in Kerala on Monday said many of its containers have started to wash ashore, with some of those being found along the coasts of southern Kollam and Alappuzha districts.

"As there is a risk of the oil spill spreading, a high alert has been issued along the entire Kerala coast,” according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) earlier in the day. Liberian container vessel — MSC ELSA 3 — sank off the Kochi coast early on Sunday, due to flooding. It went down with 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide.

ICG intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts using aerial sorties and specialised dispersal equipment. Two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for round-the-clock monitoring, while pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari and additional OPVs have been mobilised with large quantities of OSD.

#WATCH | ICG Ship Saksham, already on standby in Pollution Response (PR) configuration, was deployed to begin counter-pollution operations and an ICG Dornier aircraft was launched for aerial assessment and the dispersal of Oil Spill Dispersant (OSD) across a wide area after a pic.twitter.com/bdb9qpsCvm

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ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2025

It was also loaded with 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday. The ministry in a fresh statement on Monday said hours after the container vessel sank, the Indian Coast Guard’s surveillance aircraft detected an ”oil slick” at the site, and the ICG has launched a ”full-scale pollution response operation”.

The ICG has intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts using aerial sorties and specialised dispersal equipment, the ministry said. ”Two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for round-the-clock monitoring, while pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari and additional OPVs have been mobilised with large quantities of OSD (oil spill dispersant),” it said.

The ICG launched a ”full-scale pollution response operation following the sinking of the Liberian vessel, which sank approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Alappuzha, Kerala, the ministry said. ”By late morning on May 25, the oil slick was spotted drifting east-southeast from the site of the sinking at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots. Rough sea conditions and strong winds made response efforts more challenging. ”Despite the hazardous situation, with over 100 cargo containers floating in the area, some breaking apart and releasing their contents, ICG continued operations with full effect. To ensure safety, all passing ships have been diverted, and mariners have been warned to navigate cautiously due to floating debris and potential navigation hazards,” it added.

The Mercantile Marine Department, Kochi, issued a pollution liability warning to the vessel owners M/s MSC under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the ministry said. The MSC appointed T&T Salvage for container recovery, oil removal, and environmental clean-up. ”The ICG also advised the Kerala state administration to prepare for shoreline clean-up and to alert local communities not to handle any cargo or debris that may wash ashore,” it said. Earlier in the day, a high-level meeting was convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to assess the situation. An advisory has been issued urging coastal residents and fishermen to remain vigilant. So far, nine containers have washed ashore, and an advisory has been reiterated for coastal residents and fishermen to remain alert, according to a statement issued by the CMO.