Liberian cargo ship sinks off Kerala coast; All 24 crew rescued
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Kochi (PTI): A Liberian cargo ship carrying 640 containers onboard, including 13 hazardous cargoes, has capsized and sunk in the sea off the coast of Kerala, officials said on Sunday, raising fears of environmental damage.
“In the early hours of 25 May, MSC ELSA 3 listed rapidly and capsized at position 09°18.76'N 076°08.12'E and sank,” a Coast Guard statement said on Sunday.
It said the three remaining crew abandoned the sinking vessel and were rescued by INS Sujata, which joined operations last evening.
The ICG said the ship Saksham, equipped with pollution response equipment, has been positioned at the scene to respond to any oil spill scenario.
Of the 640 containers onboard, 13 contained hazardous cargo, while 12 containers with calcium carbide were present, it said.
“The ship had in its tanks 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil,” the ICG said.
Noting that the sensitive coast of Kerala is home to both vivid biodiversity and is a major tourist attraction, it further said the ICG has geared up pollution response preparedness and coordination with the state administration for all possible scenarios.
“ICG aircraft with advanced oil spill mapping technology are undertaking an assessment of the situation. Presently, no oil spill has been reported,” it added.
The Indian Coast Guard also said it is fully geared to respond to the emerging scenario and is closely monitoring the environmental impact in the aftermath of the sinking of MSC ELSA 3.
The development comes amid intense efforts by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, which were exploring methods to assist in towing the vessel.
The Liberian container ship, carrying marine fuel, listed several degrees about 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on Saturday, causing its cargo to spill into the sea.
A Defence PRO said another vessel from the parent company had reached the area as part of the assistance efforts.
Earlier, authorities had stated that out of the 24 crew members on board, 21 were rescued, while three remained onboard as per instructions from the company.
He added that the Coast Guard, which spearheaded the rescue operation, and Indian Navy ships are maintaining their positions in the area and monitoring the situation.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has cautioned the general public against touching any cargo containers or oil spills that may wash ashore.
They have also urged people to immediately inform the police if they spot any containers or oil on the shore. The 184-metre-long vessel, MSC ELSA 3, departed for Kochi from Vizhinjam port on Friday.
At around 1.25 p.m. on May 24, the company owning the ship informed Indian authorities that it was listing by 26 degrees and sought urgent assistance.
The Coast Guard was coordinating rescue operations by maintaining ships and aircraft near the distressed vessel.
The vessel's 24-member crew comprises one Russian (the Master), 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian national.
According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, there is a possibility that cargo --including containers and oil-- may wash ashore. KSDMA also warned that oil films could appear along parts of the coast.
The Coast Guard has confirmed that the vessel was carrying Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO).
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Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticizes Centre for steep hike in commercial LPG price
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has slammed the BJP government in the Centre for the hike in the price of commercial LPG, saying the sudden rise of the fuel rate by Rs 993 a cylinder has hit the common man hard.
Critically commenting that this was expected of the Centre after elections to five states, Rao posted in Kannada on his ‘X’ account on Saturday that the people have been shown only the trailer and, the real struggle is yet to begin.
“Since there is no election in any state, there will certainly be major hikes in the rates of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG in barely a few days,” he has predicted.
The minister has further tweeted, “The rate of commercial LPG has gone up to Rs 3,152 per cylinder, which will hit the hotel industry greatly. Ironically, the direct impact of the hike will be on customers of hotel.”
He pointed out that, earlier, the price used to be hiked by approximately Rs 50 and Rs 100 a cylinder. “This time, the rate has been shot up by Rs 993. What do we call this except daylight robbery? Can this be the ‘Acche Din’ that the BJP has been promising?” Rao asked mockingly.
He also questioned the cause for BJP members’ silence for the rate hike, reminding that the party always ‘threw a tantrum’ when a non-BJP government does so even at a minor level. “Does this reflect their fear of ‘Vishwaguru’ Modi? Is it the party’s sheer disregard for the welfare of the people?” he has questioned.
ಊಹಿಸಿದಂತೆಯೇ ಪಂಚರಾಜ್ಯ ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಬಳಿಕ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆಯ ಛಾಟಿ ಬೀಸಲು ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಕಮರ್ಷಿಯಲ್ ಸಿಲಿಂಡರ್ ಬೆಲೆಯನ್ನು ಏಕಾಏಕಿ ₹993 ಏರಿಸುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಮರ್ಮಘಾತ ನೀಡಿದೆ. ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಮುಗಿದ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಬೆಲೆಯೇರಿಕೆ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಒಂದೇ ಭಾರಿ ₹993 ಹೆಚ್ಚಳ ಮಾಡಿರುವುದು ಅನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿತದ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆಘಾತ ತಂದಿದೆ.…
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) May 2, 2026
