A Liberia-flagged container vessel, MSC ELSA 3, reported a dangerous tilt shortly after departing from Vizhinjam Port, approximately 38 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi, prompting an urgent rescue operation coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Indian Coast Guard, MRCC, Mumbai received a Distress Alert regarding Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 developing 26° list, approximately 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. The vessel departed Vizhinjam Port on 23 May 2025, bound for Kochi.
The Directorate General (DG) of Shipping, in coordination with the Coast Guard, has issued directives to the ship managers, instructing them to urgently provide salvage services for the vessel. The Indian Coast Guard affirmed that the developing situation is being “monitored closely… to prevent loss of life and damage to the environment”.
Containers Fall Off Due To Vessel Tilting, Risk Assessment Is In Progress: Indian Coast Guard
By 2000 hrs, 21 crew members had been safely rescued. However, three crew members—the ship’s Captain, Chief Engineer, and Second Engineer—remained onboard to facilitate planned salvage operations.
In an update, the Coast Guard noted that “some containers have fallen due to vessel tilting, and a risk assessment is in progress. All efforts are in hand to maintain the vessel’s stability”.
Rescue and monitoring efforts remain ongoing as authorities work to secure the vessel and avert any environmental hazards.