4 Remain Missing After Explosions Rock Singapore-Flagged Containership Off India

Four people remain missing after a major fire on a Singapore-flagged containership off the southwest coast of India.

Multiple explosions and fires erupted aboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV WAN HAI 503 approximately 130 nautical miles northwest of Kochi, India.

The incident caused 40 containers to fall into the Arabian Sea and forced crew members to abandon ship. Of the 22 crew members aboard, 18 have been rescued from lifeboats, while search operations continue for the remaining four.

Five of the 18 rescued crew members were injured, with one sustaining serious injuries. The four missing crew members include two from Taiwan, one from Myanmar, and one from Indonesia.

The Indian Coast Guard has launched a major firefighting and rescue operation, mobilizing multiple assets including four Coast Guard ships and aircraft to assist in dousing the blaze and rescuing crew.

According to defense ministry officials, the vessel remains “on fire and adrift,” with dense smoke continuing to emit from the ship, raising concerns about potential secondary explosions.

Environmental protection measures are being initiated as authorities work to stabilize the vessel. The Singapore Flag Administration and India’s Directorate General of Shipping have been notified of the incident.

The ship is owned an operated by a Singaporean unit of the Taiwanese shipping company Wan Hai Line.

The cause of the explosions and the nature of the cargo in the containers have not been disclosed by officials.

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