Kerala on alert after Liberian cargo ship sinks, public asked to stay away from the coast

Following the sinking, containers from the Liberian-flagged ship have started to wash ashore on the Kerala coast.

Containers from the Liberian cargo ship, which sank off the Kerala coast on Sunday, have now started to wash ashore. Following the capsize, the state declared an emergency for any potential oil spill or chemical leakage.

Liberian-flagged ship's containers heading towards the Kerala coast after it sunk in the middle of the sea. (AFP)

With the Indian Coast Guard and Navy on high alert, the public has been asked to stay away from the coast and not touch foreign objects as the state monitors the high-pressure situation.

Liberian ship capsizes off Kerala coast | What we know

• Kerala on alert: Following the capsize, the state government issued a high alert after it was learnt that the cargo ship was carrying hazardous materials. Due to this, Kerala stays on alert for a potential oil spill risk.
• Crew rescued: All 24 members of the cargo ship - including including one Russian, 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian - were rescued on Saturday after the ship developed a severe tilt. The capsize of Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 comes after the ship developed a "26-degree starboard list", which is the marine term for a tilt.
• What the Coast Guard said: “ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance, and ICG ship Saksham carrying pollution response equipment remains deployed at the site,” stated the official headline from the Indian Coast Guard.
• 640 containers and hazardous materials: As per the statement from officials, the MSC-operated ship was carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, Along with this, the ship also had hazardous cargo and calcium carbide - which can cause an ecological disaster if spilled due to its reaction with seawater.
• Containers spotted ashore: As per a report by PTI, local police have stated the containers from the cargo ship have started to washed ashore. Officials stated that containers were spotted along the southern Kollam coast. While the total number of containers ashore is yet to be determined, reports indicate that at least four have been spotted.