Authorities in the southern Indian state of Kerala are on alert after a Liberian-flagged container vessel sank off the coast of Kochi on Sunday, according to India’s Defense Ministry.
The ship was carrying 640 containers, 13 of which held hazardous materials, including calcium carbide. When in contact with water, calcium carbide releases acetylene gas, which is highly flammable. An additional 12 containers also carried the same chemical.
All 24 crew members were safely rescued. The incident has raised environmental concerns, especially due to the vessel’s hazardous cargo and the region’s sensitive marine ecosystem.
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has warned residents not to touch or approach any floating containers or debris from the sunken vessel that may wash ashore.
The National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) stated there is an 80% chance that drifting containers may impact coastal areas of Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram within the next 96 hours. The agency is working closely with authorities to provide ocean forecast data and support environmental protection efforts.
The Indian Coast Guard has deployed vessel Saksham, equipped with pollution response tools, and is conducting aerial surveillance using aircraft fitted with oil spill detection systems. As of now, no oil leakage has been observed, but response teams remain on high alert.
