A massive explosion and fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container ship, has left four crew members missing off the coast of Kerala, India. The vessel, en route from Colombo to Mumbai, was carrying 22 people when the incident occurred on June 9, 2025. Indian authorities successfully rescued 18 crew members, while search efforts continue for the missing—two from Taiwan, one from Indonesia, and one from Myanmar. Forty cargo containers were also lost to the sea. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation as firefighting and environmental protection efforts are ongoing.
Eighteen people were eventually rescued by Indian authorities
NEED TO KNOW
- The Singapore-flagged ship MV Wan Hai 503 was carrying 22 people at the time of the incident on June 9, the Indian Coast Guard said
- Of the four missing people, two are from Taiwan, one is from Indonesia and another is from Myanmar, according to a report
- Forty containers of cargo reportedly fell into the waters
Four crew members are missing after a container ship off the coast of Kerala in southern India exploded and burst into flames, authorities said.
The Singapore-flagged ship MV Wan Hai 503 was carrying 22 people at the time of the incident on Monday, June 9, Commandant Amit Uniyal of the Indian Coast Guard said in a statement, the Associated Press reported.
Eighteen crew members abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard.
Uniyal said that of the four missing people, two are from Taiwan, one is from Indonesia and another is from Myanmar, according to the AP.
The Indian Coast Guard shared a post on X showing thick plumes of smoke emanating from the distressed vessel.
The nearly 890-foot ship was traveling from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mumbai, India, when the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time as the 18 crew members jumped into the waters and were in rescue boats, according to The Independent.
Officials said 40 containers fell into the Arabian Sea, Reuters reported. Authorities have not shared what may have caused the explosions and the status of the cargo.
“The vessel is presently adrift, and firefighting efforts have commenced to bring the situation under control,” Uniyal said, the AP reported. “Saving lives of the crew in distress, firefighting and mitigating environment hazard remains the priority for coast guard.”
According to The Independent, the MV Wan Hai 503 is overseen by Wan Hai Lines, a container shipping company based in Taiwan.
PEOPLE contacted the Indian Coast Guard and Wan Hai Lines for additional information on Monday.
Last month, a Liberian cargo vessel sank off the coast of Kerala, the Times of India reported. Officials said that based on a preliminary investigation, a mechanical failure caused the accident.
