MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged container vessel built in 1997, has a length of 184 metres and a beam of 25.3 metres.Sources in the Indian Navy and Coast Guard confirmed that the vessel listed further and eventually capsized on Sunday morning.Reports indicate that more containers fell into the sea during the early hours of the day. These containers are drifting at a speed of approximately one kilometre per hour and are expected to reach the Kerala coast, particularly between Alappuzha and Ernakulam, within two days.Authorities have issued a public advisory warning residents not to approach or touch any containers that wash ashore, as they may contain hazardous materials. While there is no official confirmation of the exact contents, sources indicate that the cargo includes sulphur.Efforts by the shipping firm to tow the sinking vessel to Kochi port were unsuccessful due to rough sea conditions and strong winds.A vessel carrying technical experts had also been dispatched for salvage operations, but was unable to approach the vessel to shift cargo or initiate towing.“In the early hours of May 25, the vessel capsized rapidly, reportedly due to flooding in one of the holds. The three crew members who had remained on the abandoned vessel were rescued by INS Sujata, which joined the operation on Saturday evening.All crew members are safe, and the Coast Guard is assessing the situation and issuing advisories to state authorities accordingly,” a Coast Guard official stated.Defence spokesperson Atul Pillai confirmed that another vessel from the parent company has reached the site for further salvage operations, though rough weather continues to hamper efforts.Although the Navy attempted to assist in towing the vessel to the Kochi coast, operations could not proceed as the vessel began capsizing, he added.
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