In a swift and coordinated maritime operation, the Indian Navy’s INS Surat successfully rescued 18 crew members from the Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire in the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast on Sunday. The rescued sailors were brought safely to the Coast Guard berth at New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), Panambur, late Monday night.
Out of the 18 rescued, two crew members are in critical condition, four sustained minor injuries, and 12 others suffered various forms of trauma, according to Coast Guard officials. The injured were immediately transferred to AJ Hospital in Kuntikana under tight medical supervision.
“The critically injured were stabilised onboard INS Surat, and shifted on arrival under close medical supervision. Immediate evacuation was our priority,” a Coast Guard official said.
Authorities including the Coast Guard, immigration, port, and police coordinated the rescue handover and medical evacuation seamlessly. The container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which had 22 crew members on board, remains at sea as search operations continue for the remaining four missing crew.
Emotional Scenes at Port as Survivors Arrive
Eyewitnesses described emotional moments as the rescued crew disembarked. Some walked with the help of their fellow crewmates, while others were carried on stretchers, visibly shaken but alive. Several could be heard whispering prayers of gratitude or asking anxiously about their still-missing colleagues.
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The cause of the fire aboard MV Wan Hai 503 has not yet been disclosed, but emergency efforts are focused on continuing the search-and-rescue operations and ensuring medical attention for those rescued.
