Oil spill feared after cargo ship sinks off Kerala coast and containers wash ashore

India is scrambling to contain a potential environmental disaster after a container vessel sank off the coast of Kochi in Kerala, raising fears of an oil and hazardous chemical spill along the state’s southern shoreline.

The Liberia-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3, carrying over 640 containers, sank about 38 nautical miles west of Kochi on Saturday. Among its cargo were 13 containers marked hazardous and 12 carrying calcium carbide, a highly reactive chemical. The ship also had more than 450 tonnes of fuel onboard, including 84 tonnes of diesel and 367 tonnes of furnace oil.

The entire ship has since been submerged as the coast guard tried to block the oil with two ships, according to a statement from the Kerala chief minister's office.

“A Dornier aircraft is also being used to spray oil-destroying powder on the oil slick," the statement said.

All 24 crew members were safely rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy before the ship went under, but officials say the threat to the marine environment remains serious.

Some containers have already washed ashore in coastal districts like Kollam and Alappuzha, prompting warnings from local authorities. Fishermen and residents have been advised not to approach or touch any container that has washed up or is floating near the coast.

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The Indian Coast Guard has launched a full-scale pollution response operation, deploying vessels equipped with containment booms, skimmers, and dispersants to try to control any oil that may have leaked from the sunken ship.

An aircraft is also conducting aerial surveillance to assess the scale of the spill.

The Kerala government has declared a state of environmental alert, asking people living nearby to move to safer places.

Accidental oil spills in the ocean can have far-reaching effects, putting marine ecosystems to the local fishing industry at risk. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information and Services (INCOIS) has warned that if spillage does occur, at least two coastal districts in southern Kerala could face contamination within 36 to 48 hours.

Authorities are still assessing whether any hazardous materials have leaked from the sunken containers, but the presence of calcium carbide – which reacts violently with water – has added to the urgency of the response.