China thanks India for 'prompt' rescue after cargo ship fire
What's the story
China has thanked India for its swift and professional response in rescuing the crew of the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire off the Kerala coast on June 9.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) quickly deployed ships and aircraft for firefighting and rescue operations after an explosion occurred on board.
Eighteen crew members have been rescued, but four are still missing, while five sustained injuries.
Chinese statement
Chinese embassy's post on X
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing thanked the Indian authorities in a post on X.
"On June 9, MV Wan Hai 503 encountered onboard explosion and fire 44 nautical miles off Azhikkal, Kerala," she wrote.
"Of the total 22 crew members on board, 14 are Chinese, including six from Taiwan. Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy @indiannavy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue."
Incident overview
Ship was traveling from Colombo to Mumbai
The MV Wan Hai 503 was traveling from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, near Mumbai, when the explosion occurred.
According to ICG, the fire started mid-ship and spread toward the container bay ahead of the accommodation block.
Although the forward bay fire has been brought under control, thick smoke continues to billow, and the ship is listing 10-15 degrees to port.
Several containers have also fallen overboard.
Rescue efforts
What the ICG has done so far
In response to the incident, ICG ships Samudra Prahari, Sachet, and Rajdoot were immediately diverted for firefighting and boundary cooling operations.
The ICGS Samarth has also been dispatched from Kochi with a salvage team.
An aerial survey is underway to assess the situation, along with an Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft, which dropped air-droppables near the vessel to assist firefighting efforts.
Environmental impact
INCOIS has issued advisories regarding possible oil spill
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has issued advisories regarding a possible oil spill and drifting containers.
Simulations indicate a 70-80% chance that debris and floating cargo will drift southeast from the site over the next three days.
INCOIS warned that a few containers may beach between Kozhikode and Kochi, while its oil spill model predicts parallel coastal drift until June 13.