The Liberian cargo ship carrying 640 containers in the Kerala offshore region has overturned into the sea, causing the possibility of damage to the environment. The Coast Guard said in a statement on Sunday, “On the morning of 25 May, MSc ELSA 3 bends fast and turned over.”
The statement said that the remaining three members of the crew on the ship left the ship and jumped into the sea, which was taken out by the Indian Navy ship ‘INS Sujata’ safely. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said that the ship ‘Saksham’ equipped with pollution control equipment has been sent to the spot to deal with any condition like oil leakage immediately.
The statement said that 13 of the 640 containers placed on the ship were chemically sensitive material, while 12 containers were filled with calcium carbide. The ICG said, “The ship tanks had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 MT furnace oil.”
Keeping in mind that the sensitive coast area of Kerala is a major tourist attraction along with being a shelter site of vibrant biodiversity, the Coast Guard has intensified the preparations for pollution control to deal with all possible situations and coordinated with the state administration.
The ICG said in the statement, “The situation is being assessed with the help of advanced technology identifying oil leakage by the plane of Coast Guard. At present, no oil leakage has been confirmed. ”
It said that it is fully prepared to deal with the situation arising and the MSc is constantly monitoring the environmental effects that occur after the ELSA-3 drowning.
The Liberian container ship carrying sea fuel was bent several degrees from Kerala coast on Saturday, causing some containers kept in it to fall into the sea. The defense spokesperson said another ship of the ship’s ownership company had reached the area for assistance.
Earlier, officials had said that 21 out of 24 members of the crew on the ship had been rescued, while three people remained on the ship as per the instructions of the company. He said that the Coast Guard leading the rescue operations and the Indian Navy’s vessel are maintaining their positions and keeping an eye on the situation.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has appealed to the people not to touch any container or oil leakage that may come on the sea shore. The MSc ELSA-3 ship left for Kochi from Vizhigam port on Friday.
On Saturday (May 24), at around 1.25 pm, the ship’s ownership company informed the Indian authorities that its ship had bent up to 26 degrees and required immediate assistance. The Indian Coast Guard coordinated the relief and rescue operations and kept its ships and aircraft near the endangered vessel.
The 24 -member crew of the ship consists of a Russian (captain), 20 Philippines, two Ukrainians and one Georgian citizens. According to the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, it is feared that other chemical substances including containers and oil may flow on the shore.
KSDMA has also warned that oil layers may appear in parts of the coast. The Coast Guard has confirmed that the ship had Marine Gas Oil (MGO) and very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).