A latest image of the tilting Liberia flagged cargo vessel MSC ELSA 3, off the Kochi coast.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Three crew members of a Liberia flagged cargo vessel that tilted off the Kerala coast on Saturday (May 24, 2025), from which a few containers with potentially hazardous cargo fell into the sea and had remained on board till early Sunday, were rescued by Indian Navy.

The company has sent another vessel (to help in the towing and allied efforts), while Indian Navy is exploring methods to assist the tilted ship to be taken under tow, so as to prevent further environmental damage. Professional assessment is also in progress to validate whether the ship can be towed. However, there is concern as some more containers have fallen in water and the vessel is further submerged, the Navy has informed.

The stranded crew being rescued by Indian Coast Guard personnel.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Although there was no further tilting and the ship is in its state of equilibrium, further submerging was observed early on Sunday. Both Indian ⁠Coast Guard and Indian Navy ships are maintaining their position in the area, monitoring the situation.

All the 24 rescued foreign crew onboard a Coast Guard ship are hail and hearty. The rescue of the three crew members by INS (Indian Naval Ship) Sujata was done under dangerous circumstances as some more containers fell in the sea and the vessel is further submerged. The Navy vessel is maintaining her position very close to the vessel, defence sources said.

The Liberia-flagged container vessel, MSC ELSA 3 that was carrying potentially dangerous cargo began tilting approximately 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi on Saturday, creating a scare. This led to issuance of an extraordinary alert by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) on Saturday evening.

People have been alerted neither to approach nor touch the cargo in the event of it washing up along the Kerala shore.