Four crew members missing after fire on Singapore container ship off Kerala
Four crew members remain missing after a fire broke out on the Singapore-registered container ship Wan Hai 503 off the coast of Kerala on 9 June. Indian authorities are leading search and rescue efforts as investigations begin.
- Fire broke out on Singapore-registered container ship Wan Hai 503 on 9 June, about 80 km off Kerala.
- 22 crew were onboard: 18 rescued, some injured, 4 still missing.
- Indian Coast Guard and Navy are assisting; MPA has confirmed no Singaporeans were among the crew.
Four crew members are missing after a fire erupted on board the Singapore-registered container ship Wan Hai 503 on Monday (9 June).
The incident occurred at about 12.30pm local time, when the vessel was approximately 80 kilometres southwest of Azhikkal, Kerala.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), there were 22 crew members onboard at the time.
Rescue operations
Eighteen crew members have been accounted for. They evacuated into lifeboats and were later transferred to a passing vessel.
Several of the rescued seafarers sustained injuries, though the extent has not yet been disclosed. Medical assessments are expected once they reach port.
Four other crew members remain unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.
Indian authorities assisting
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have been activated and are assisting in locating the missing crew. Patrol vessels and aircraft have been deployed to scour the waters.
MPA said it has been in close contact with Wan Hai Lines (Singapore), the company managing the vessel.
The authority confirmed there were no Singaporean nationals among the crew.
Investigations to follow
MPA has stated that a full investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the fire. Maritime safety experts will examine both vessel operations and fire suppression measures.
Wan Hai Lines has not yet issued a public statement, but industry observers say the company is likely to work closely with insurers and classification societies to assess the damage.
Shipping safety context
Container ship fires, though rare, pose high risks due to the combustible nature of mixed cargo. Misdeclared or improperly stored goods have been implicated in past maritime accidents.
In 2021, the X-Press Pearl, another container ship registered in Singapore, caught fire off Sri Lanka and later sank, causing a major environmental disaster. That case raised global concerns about fire prevention and cargo declaration practices.
The fate of the Wan Hai 503 remains unclear, though the priority at present is the safety of the missing crew.
