A significant fire erupted on a container cargo ship approximately 102 nautical miles southwest of Goa on Friday evening, causing explosions at the front of the vessel. The ship was en route from Mundra port in Gujarat to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The Coast Guard reported that efforts to combat the fire are underway to prevent an environmental disaster and ensure the safety of the ship and its crew. They received a distress call from the MV Maersk Frankfurt about the fire when it was around 50 nautical miles off Karwar.
A shipping ministry official stated that the fire is still burning and has resulted in one fatality—a seaman from the Philippines. The vessel, carrying 21 crew members from the Philippines, Montenegro, and Ukraine, was making its way from Mundra to Colombo.
#WATCH | A major fire broke out on a container cargo merchant vessel about 102 nautical miles southwest of Goa. ICG is doing the fire fighting operation on the ship which carries international maritime dangerous goods amid bad weather and heavy rains.
(Source: Indian coast… pic.twitter.com/viDy564oze
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024
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A Coast Guard spokesperson mentioned that one of its ships was promptly redirected to assist the distressed vessel upon receiving the distress call.
Shedding light on the matter, the concerned spokesperson stated, “An ICG Dornier aircraft was launched for aerial assessment. The ship is reported to be carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo and explosions have been occurring on the front part of the merchant ship.”
The spokesperson added, “The ICG (Indian Coast Guard) ship has arrived in the area and is carrying out a firefighting operation amid rough seas and inclement weather conditions. Additionally, two ICG ships have been dispatched from Goa to augment the firefighting efforts. The crew has been reassured of their safety.”
Officials have also mobilized additional aircraft to support the safety and rescue operations.
The ship, which entered service in 2024, was reported to be transporting International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo, with explosions audible at the front of the vessel. The Indian Navy, which has a base in Karwar near Goa, has instructed its ships to remain on standby.
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