Kochi MSC Elsa 3 Shipwreck: Five Containers With Hazardous Material Lost At Sea

2025-05-28 07:22:20

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Kochi: The Director General of Shipping, in a press conference, stated that the cargo ship sinking incident off the coast of Kochi was an isolated event, and a detailed investigation into the cause is underway. Preliminary findings suggest a technical malfunction. The matter was discussed in detail with central and state government officials. The primary concern is the removal of containers washed ashore in Kerala. The fuel spilled from the sunken ship will be removed, considering the environmental concerns. Agencies are currently undertaking these operations.

All sunken containers will be retrieved, and all floating containers will be brought ashore. Currently, 108 personnel from the salvage company are at sea, working to contain the fuel leak and recover the containers. A total of 50 containers have washed ashore. The salvage operation to recover the ship is expected to be completed by July 3rd.

The ship contained 13 hazardous containers, 12 of which held calcium carbide. Five of these 13 containers have fallen into the sea and haven't reached the shore yet. Scanning is underway to determine if they have sunk to the seabed. The calcium carbide was stored in the ship's hull, which is why it sank with the vessel. The 13th container held rubber chemicals.

The ship did not carry any radioactive containers. A preliminary assessment suggests a failure in the balance management system might have caused the accident, possibly due to a technical malfunction. Investigations will examine the ship's balance mechanism, including the possibility of valve failure.

The sunken ship operated in accordance with all international standards. Efforts to raise the ship will begin after July 3rd. Before that, all containers from the sunken ship will be retrieved. The ship currently rests at a depth of 50 feet. Scanning is being expedited to recover the calcium carbide containers. Authorities assured that measures will be taken to prevent environmental damage if the ship cannot be raised.

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