MSC Elsa 3 sinks off Kochi after severe list
The Liberian-flagged container ship MSC Elsa 3 sank on 25 May 2025, roughly 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, off the coast of Kerala, India. The 184-meter vessel, operated by MSC, departed Vizhinjam Port on 23 May, en route to Kochi, when it developed a 26-degree list, prompting an emergency response coordinated by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
Out of the 24 crew members onboard, 21 were airlifted on 24 May. The remaining three crew—the captain, chief engineer, and second engineer—stayed onboard in an attempt to assist planned salvage operations. However, as flooding worsened, the ship eventually capsized and sank early on 25 May. The three remaining officers were safely evacuated by the Indian Navy’s INS Sujata, bringing the total rescue count to 24.
Emergency coordination and salvage efforts
- The Mumbai Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) first received the distress alert from the MSC Elsa 3.
- The ICG deployed aircraft and nearby vessels, including helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, to assist in the rescue and monitor the situation.
- Additional liferafts were deployed by air near the listing vessel to facilitate evacuation.
- The Directorate General of Shipping, in coordination with ICG, directed the ship’s managers to initiate emergency salvage operations to stabilize the vessel and mitigate further risk.
Despite the rescue success, the MSC Elsa 3 could not be saved and sank the next day following rapid flooding in one of its holds.
Environmental Hazards and Ongoing monitoring
At the time of the incident, the ship carried 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide, which poses significant environmental risk. When in contact with seawater, calcium carbide can produce acetylene gas, which is highly flammable, as well as lime, which can harm marine ecosystems.
- Fuel on board included 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of residual fuel oil.
- Over 100 containers fell into the sea, with at least 25 drifting toward Kerala’s coast, including Alappuzha, Kollam, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram.
- Several containers have already washed ashore, but the total number remains unclear.
The Indian Coast Guard has dispatched two patrol vessels and a Dornier aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill mapping sensors to assess and monitor the area. So far, no oil spill has been reported, but chemical dispersants have been preemptively deployed.
Authorities in Kerala have issued coastal alerts, urging fishermen to remain ashore and residents to stay at least 200 meters away from any containers or fuel residues. An emergency hotline has been activated for public reporting.
The sinking of MSC Elsa 3 highlights the Indian Coast Guard’s swift and coordinated efforts that ensured the safe rescue of all 24 crew members. With hazardous cargo and large fuel reserves on board, the focus now shifts to ongoing environmental surveillance and containment operations to protect Kerala’s vulnerable coastline from marine pollution.
