The spectre of possible leakage of hazardous chemicals loomed large in Kerala early Monday (May 26, 2025), with at least eight shipping containers from the capsized Liberian-flagged cargo vessel MSC Elsa 3 washing up on Neendakara, Karunagapally, and Shakthikulangara beaches in Kollam district.
The revenue and police authorities have counselled extreme caution and cordoned off the localities, given that some containers could contain hazardous and inflammable materials. Sekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, has advised the public to maintain a minimum distance of 200 meters from the beached containers.
The container ship, which had set course for Kochi from Vizhinjam, foundered after encountering heavy weather 38 km southwest of its port of call early Sunday.
A perilous combination of heavy seas, possible hull leakage, mechanical failure and perhaps unbalanced cargo reportedly caused the ship to list heavily before capsizing and sinking. The Coast Guard rescued the ship’s crew, comprising as many as 21 individuals from different nationalities, including Russia and the Philippines.
The Customs department verified the ship’s cargo manifesto. It said the sunk vessel threw 640 containers, including 12 containing hazardous incendiary material, overboard when it flipped over.
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) reported that more containers were bobbing in the sea, posing a threat to ships and smaller vessels, including fishing boats.
The INCOIS has warned the government that more containers could wash up on Kerala’s shores, chiefly Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha, in the coming hours.
Published – May 26, 2025 09:45 am IST
