Dramatic Rescue at Sea: Indian Navy Saves Crew from Burning Cargo Ship

Rescue Operation for Crew Members of WAN HAI 503

Kozhikode: On Monday, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard successfully rescued 18 crew members from the Singapore-registered cargo ship, WAN HAI 503, which experienced a fire approximately 70 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala, according to officials.

The crew members jumped into the sea to escape the flames, while the status of four additional crew members from the ship's Fire and Safety Department is still being determined.

Recent footage reveals a significant fire engulfing the upper deck of the vessel.

The incident occurred in the Arabian Sea, near the Beypore–Azhikal coastline of Kerala.

Following an alert from the Indian Coast Guard, hospitals in Kozhikode and Kochi have been placed on standby to provide medical assistance if needed.

The WAN HAI 503, measuring 270 meters in length and with a draught of 12.5 meters, had set sail from Colombo on June 7 and was headed to Mumbai.

Coast Guard and Navy vessels from Kochi and Mangaluru, along with Dornier aircraft, have arrived at the scene, with more support expected soon.

Captain K. Arun Kumar, the Port officer at Beypore, indicated that some containers on board contain hazardous materials, including flammable liquids and solids, as well as toxic substances.

The rescued crew members are anticipated to be taken to Beypore.

Officials confirmed that there are no Indian nationals among the crew.