Container Ship Rocked By detonation Off Indian Coast

The Singapore-flagged container ship Wan Hai 503 erupted in flames after an explosion rocked the vessel earlier today off the coast of Beypore, a port town in Kerala, southern India.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) wrote on X that naval assets responded swiftly following an explosion aboard the Wan Hai 503, located approximately 130 nautical miles northwest of the Kerala coast.

Quick response by @IndiaCoastGuard after explosion on #Singapore flagged MV #WANHAI503, 130 NM NW of #Kerala coast.
#ICG aircraft assessed the scene & dropped air-droppable
04 #ICG ships diverted for rescue.#MaritimeSafety #ICG #SearchAndRescue pic.twitter.com/xVPEShbU8h

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) June 9, 2025

ICG deployed a maritime surveillance aircraft to the incident area for real-time assessment and reconnaissance, alongside diverting four ICG vessels to the area. Local media reports confirm that the crew has abandoned the Wan Hai 503.

Here are more details about the incident via The Hindu:

Of the 18 crew in the lifeboat, one is reported to have sustained serious injuries. Four crew (2 Taiwanese, 1 Indonesian and 1 Myanmarese) are missing from the time of the explosion. ICG Dornier aircraft is maintaining overhead the vessel for real-time assessment.

The vessel is presently adrift and firefighting efforts by the Coast Guard have commenced to bring the situation under control. The details of the cargo onboard are being ascertained to determine the nature of fire and the potential risks involved during firefighting operations, the officials said.

The fire poses a significant risk of further explosions and potential structural compromise. Any drifting containers or subsequent hazards to navigation will be assessed only after Coast Guard ships return after rescue operations. All nearby traffic has been alerted to maintain safe CPA and speed reductions in the vicinity, the officials said.

. . .

According to DG Shipping officials, owners have been requested to promptly assess and report the nature of the cargo in the affected hold to ascertain the presence of any hazardous material

One X user on ICG’s X account asked: „Can this second occurrence be indicative of sabotaging indian coast.”