Feature Image: © Indian Coast Guard
The fire aboard the Singapore-flagged containership Wan Hai 503 has been brought under control, with salvage teams preparing to board the vessel, according to the owner.
The 4,252 TEU vessel was en route from Colombo to Mumbai when an explosion occurred on 9 June. Four crew members remain missing.
“Wan Hai 503 remains afloat in the waters southwest of India, where response operations are actively ongoing,” Wan Hai Lines stated in a 3 July update.
“The onboard fire has been gradually brought under control, though light smoke is still observed in some cargo holds.”
Salvors are expected to begin a full onboard inspection and assessment once temperatures drop to safe levels and the vessel stabilises.
Indian authorities have attributed the incident to misdeclared cargo of explosives, and a criminal investigation involving the ship’s master and crew is reportedly underway.
According to India’s delegate at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the ship was carrying 147 dangerous goods containers, of which 65 have washed ashore, triggering panic among local residents.
