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Vessel Sinks Off Kerala Coast, India
BENGALURU: On Monday, India’s coast guard sprang into action to address an oil spill caused by a container ship carrying hazardous materials that sank off the southern coast a day earlier, according to the Kerala state government.
The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged container vessel measuring 184 meters (603 feet), went down off the Kerala coast on Sunday. Fortunately, all 24 crew members were rescued safely.
The ship was transporting 640 containers, including 13 containing dangerous materials, with 12 of them holding calcium carbide—a chemical used in fertilizer production and steel manufacturing. Additionally, the vessel was carrying about 370 tonnes of fuel and oil.
In a statement, Kerala’s government noted, "The Coast Guard is taking measures to contain the oil spill using two ships." They also mentioned that a Dornier aircraft is spraying dispersant to mitigate the oil.
India’s defense ministry cited that the ship sank "due to flooding" approximately 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, heightening concerns for the "delicate marine ecosystem" along Kerala’s coastline.
In response to the incident, the government has issued alerts for coastal areas, advising residents to avoid contact with any containers that may have washed ashore.
The ship encountered difficulties while sailing between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi and issued a distress signal prior to sinking on Saturday.
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