Key Coast Guard, Navy Ships Used In Massive Rescue Op For Fire-Struck Ship Off Kerala Coast

Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 reported a fire onboard on Monday (June 9), approximately 78 nautical miles off Beypore, Kerala.

Following the fire, of the 22 crew members, 18 abandoned the vessel into rescue boats.

In response to the incident, a swift multi-agency maritime operation was launched. The Indian Navy diverted the stealth destroyer INS Surat from Kochi, while INS Garuda prepared a Dornier aircraft sortie (DO) for aerial assessment. The Indian Coast Guard mobilised five ships— Sachet, Arnvesh, Samudra Prahari, Abhinav, and Rajdoot— alongside a Coast Guard Dornier and a C-144 aircraft.

What are the key assets deployed and their roles?

INS Surat: A guided-missile stealth destroyer from the Visakhapatnam class, INS Surat is equipped with advanced sensors, surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, and high-speed capabilities exceeding 30 knots. She provides command-and-control, firefighting support, and protection against maritime threats during rescue missions.

Naval Dornier (INS Garuda): A maritime surveillance aircraft capable of short takeoff and landing (STOL). Equipped with glass cockpit avionics and real-time sensors, it conducts aerial reconnaissance to oversee the fire and track the drifting vessel.

Coast Guard Dornier: Similar to its naval counterpart, it provides daytime and nighttime surveillance enhanced by maritime patrol radar, infrared sensors, and satellite communications—crucial for monitoring crew rescue and environmental risks.

ICGS Samudra Prahari: A 94-meter pollution-control vessel specialised in oil-spill response. It carries equipment such as booms and skimmers, and can store up to 500 kilolitres of recovered oil. The ship also supports helicopter-based environmental monitoring.

ICGS Sachet: The largest Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) in the Indian Coast Guard, Sachet displaces approximately 2,350 tonnes, measures 105 meters in length, and can carry a twin-engine helicopter and multiple fast boats. Designed for EEZ surveillance, coastal security, and pollution control, it plays a central role in both rescue and commanding operations.

ICGS Rajdoot (IPV): A 48-meter Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) displacing around 300 tonnes, capable of speeds up to 34 knots. Designed for coastal surveillance, interdiction, search-and-rescue, and medical evacuation, IPVs like Rajdoot operate close to shore and are vital for ferrying crew from lifeboats.

ICGS Arnvesh, Abhinav, and other support assets: Smaller patrol ships and the C-144 transport aircraft are involved in crew retrieval, logistics, and medical evacuation.

What is the operation’s current focus?

The immediate effort is to locate and retrieve the four remaining crew members lost during evacuation. Coordinated firefighting from ICG and Navy platforms aims to suppress the blaze in unpredictable sea conditions.

Meanwhile, deploying Samudra Prahari’s oil-skimming equipment at once suggests readiness to mitigate oil spills if fuel tanks are breached.

No casualties have been reported so far. The cause of the fire also remains unknown.