Explosion on Singapore-Flagged MV Wan Hai 503 Near Kerala Coast

Incident Overview

An explosion was reported on the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala, prompting immediate action from the Indian Navy. The incident occurred around 10:30 AM, with the Mumbai Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) being the first to notify authorities, who then alerted their counterparts in Kochi. The explosion took place beneath the deck of the vessel while it was en route from Colombo to Mumbai, having departed on June 7 and scheduled to arrive by June 10. According to officials, the MV Wan Hai 503 is a 270-meter-long container ship with a draft of 12.5 meters.

Navy's Response

Following the alert, the Indian Navy diverted INS Surat, which was originally set to dock in Kochi, to provide immediate assistance. The Western Naval Command issued the redirection order at 11:00 AM. In addition to the naval deployment, a Dornier aircraft from INS Garuda in Kochi was arranged for aerial surveillance and to coordinate further assistance measures. On June 9, a fire incident was reported on the MV Wan Hai 503, located 78 nautical miles from Beypore.

Coast Guard Involvement

The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed several assets, including a CG Dornier, for rescue and assessment operations. A video clip shared by the Defence Public Relations Officer shows thick smoke billowing from the MV Wan Hai 503, which experienced the explosion near the Kerala coast on Monday morning.