A Liberian container vessel carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, capsized and sank off the coast of Kerala in the early hours of Sunday, prompting a massive oil spill and triggering a statewide alert. According to a statement by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the ship—MSC ELSA 3—listed rapidly and sank in the early hours of 25 May 2025. The vessel had been carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks. Thirteen of its containers also held hazardous cargo, including calcium carbide, a chemical known to react violently with seawater and release highly flammable acetylene gas.

The ICG said the leaked fuel is drifting at a speed of around three kilometres per hour, posing both environmental and navigational hazards. An official note issued after a high-level meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Secretary A Jayathilak confirmed the extent of the oil spill and directed immediate response measures, news agency PTI reported.

The Coast Guard has deployed two ships and an aerial Dornier aircraft equipped to spray dispersants in an effort to contain the oil slick. An ICG aircraft with advanced oil spill mapping technology has also been dispatched to monitor the spread and impact of the leak. The Director General of the Coast Guard, who leads the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, is directly supervising the ongoing response efforts.

Highlighting the environmental risk, the ICG noted that the Kerala coastline is both ecologically sensitive and a significant tourist destination, and said it has ramped up pollution response preparedness in coordination with state authorities.

Fishing Activities Banned Within 20-Nautical-Mile Radius Of Sunken Vessel Near Kochi Coast

Authorities have issued a directive advising fishermen not to venture into the sea and banned fishing activities within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the sunken vessel. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has warned the public not to touch any unusual containers or oil patches that may wash ashore and has urged people to report such sightings to the emergency number 112. People have been instructed to maintain a distance of at least 200 metres from any suspicious objects.

The 184-metre-long MSC ELSA 3 had departed Vizhinjam port on Friday en route to Kochi. At around 1.25 pm on 24 May, the vessel’s owners alerted Indian authorities that the ship was listing by 26 degrees and requested immediate assistance. The ship began listing about 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on Saturday, leading to the spill.

The Indian Coast Guard and Navy jointly led the rescue and response efforts. All 24 crew members—including one Russian (the Master), 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian national—have been rescued. Another vessel from the parent company of MSC ELSA 3 has reached the site as part of ongoing assistance operations.

The KSDMA also warned that cargo and oil may wash ashore and that oil films could appear on parts of the coast. Local self-government bodies along the coast have been directed to issue warnings and caution residents against approaching any containers or debris.

The situation continues to be monitored closely by central and state agencies as efforts to mitigate the environmental fallout remain underway.