In a turn of events reminiscent of tragedy as the Liberian-flagged container ship MSC ELSA 3 sank, dozens of containers from the vessel have been seen along the Kollam shoreline in Kerala, India. The local authorities and coastguards are now moving with speed to handle the crisis and string up the floating cargo.
The MSC ELSA 3 went down off India’s southern coast last week in turbulent sea conditions. Fortunately, all 24 crew were rescued without harm in a coordinated effort by maritime rescue teams. But with the wreckage now lying at the bottom of the sea, ocean currents have started washing some of its containers onto shores.
Locals along the Kollam coast described seeing odd debris and cargo floating by, leading the local authorities to issue safety alerts. Officials have urged people not to approach or touch the containers, some of which carry dangerous substances or sensitive cargo.
Efforts are underway to recover and identify the cargo with minimal impact on the environment. The accident has once again put under the scanner the safety standards at sea and emergency response systems, particularly along India’s congested southern shipping lanes.
