Cargo Ship Catches Fire Off Kerala's Kozhikode Coast

A cargo ship named WAN HAI 503 caught fire off Kozhikode's coast in Kerala on Monday. The Mumbai-bound Singapore ship had 22 crew members on board. The vessel, carrying nearly 650 containers, had departed Colombo on June 7 and was expected to reach Mumbai by June 10. The Indian Coast Guard has launched rescue operations, and the Navy has sent Dornier helicopters to the location.

🚨 On 09 Jun 25, fire incident reported onboard Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 , 78 NM off #Beypore.⁰🔹 @indiannavy diverted INS Surat & planned DO sortie from #INSGaruda.⁰🔹 @IndiaCoastGuard deployed multiple assets including CG Dornier for rescue &… pic.twitter.com/rf7n6gfLA6

— PRO Defence Kochi (@DefencePROkochi) June 9, 2025

"Of the 22 crew, 18 crew have abandoned the ship on boat. Crew being rescued by CG and IN assets. Vessel is presently on fire and adrift," said PRO Defence, Kochi, in an update on X. Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered District Collectors in Ernakulam and Kozhikode to ensure emergency medical care facilities are ready in case rescued crew members are brought ashore in Kerala.