India Lauded for Swift Rescue of MV Wan Hai 503 Crew off Kerala Coast
Azhikkal : The Government of Taiwan has extended heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for their rapid and professional response in rescuing crew members from the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire following an onboard explosion approximately 44 nautical miles off the Kerala coast near Azhikkal.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Taiwan Representative Office in India said,
“The Taiwan Government is grateful for the swift rescue operation provided by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to Wan Hai 503. We wish the missing crew members return safe and the injured recover soon.”
The MV Wan Hai 503, en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva, suffered a mid-sea explosion leading to a major fire on board. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy responded immediately to distress signals, launching coordinated search and firefighting operations.
As of 5:00 PM Tuesday, 18 of the 22 crew members had been rescued, several of whom sustained injuries. Four crew members remain missing. The ongoing rescue efforts are being led by the Indian Coast Guard, which reports a reduction in visible flames though thick smoke continues to billow from the vessel.
The ship was carrying containerised cargo and had a diverse international crew comprising eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese, and three Indonesian nationals. After the explosion, the crew was forced to abandon ship due to the rapidly spreading fire.
The Chinese Embassy in India also expressed its appreciation, stating:
“Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members a speedy recovery,” said Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing on X.
Indian rescue teams continue their round-the-clock efforts to extinguish the fire and locate the missing sailors. The operation underscores India’s maritime readiness and its commitment to humanitarian response in the region.
