The Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 capsized completely 38 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi early Sunday, raising concerns over a potential oil spill. All 24 crew members were safely rescued—21 by the Indian Coast Guard and 3 by the Indian Navy’s INS Sujata, officials confirmed.

The ship was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide. Its fuel tanks held approximately 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, heightening fears of environmental contamination.

The Indian Coast Guard stated the vessel began tilting due to flooding in one of the holds and sank after rapidly capsizing. A comprehensive pollution response has been activated, with the Coast Guard working closely with Kerala’s State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and other agencies to mitigate environmental impact.

Alert for Coastal Residents:
The Kerala SDMA warned the public to avoid drifting objects suspected to have come from the sunken ship, advising a minimum distance of 200 meters due to the hazardous materials onboard. The coastal districts of Ernakulam and Alappuzha are at the highest risk of containers washing ashore.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) issued an advisory predicting that any spilled oil could reach the shores of Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Arattupuzha, and Karunagappally within 36 to 48 hours if released, urging prompt action to minimize damage.

Response Efforts:

• The Coast Guard ship Saksham is actively engaged in oil spill containment.

• A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft has been deployed using “PR configuration” technology to assess the oil-water mixture ratio and guide cleanup efforts.

• INS Sujata played a crucial role in rescuing the final three crew members after the ship began submerging further on Sunday.

Authorities are monitoring the situation closely, employing INCOIS’s Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT) and oil spill trajectory simulations to track drifting containers and potential pollution spread.

Kerala’s Chief Secretary has convened a meeting to review the evolving situation as officials coordinate to prevent ecological and public health hazards.