India Battles Oil Spill from Sinking Shipping Container
By AFP Staff Writers
Bengaluru, India (AFP) May 26, 2025
India’s coastguard is race against time to contain an oil spill from a container ship that sank off the southern coast of India. The tragedy befell the Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3, a 184-metre (603-foot) freighter with hazardous cargo.
The vessel, carrying 640 containers, including 13 of hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide for fertiliser and steel production, also had 370 tonnes of fuel and oil onboard. The ship went down about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi after running into trouble and issuing a distress call.
The Kerala state government stated that the Coast Guard is using two ships for containment efforts and that they are using aircraft to spray dust to destroy the oil. The government hasput coastal areas on high alert and warns against touching or accessing any of the washed-up containers.
The sinking raises concerns for the marine ecosystem in the sensitive area along Kerala’s coast. The ship was sailing between Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi when it encountered problems.
Related Links:
- Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up https://www.terradaily.com/Froth_And_Bubble.html
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