May 26 (UPI) — A Liberian-flagged container ship that capsized off India’s southwestern coast is at risk of causing an oil spill, officials said, as they rush to prevent an environmental catastrophe.
The vessel, MSC ELSA 3, began to list to one side about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi on Saturday and sank Sunday, with 643 containers onboard, the Indian Coast Guard said in a statement.
Of the 73 containers missing, 13 contained hazardous material, including calcium carbide, which releases a gas that is highly flammable when it comes into contact with water.
It also had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel fuel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil.
The chief minister’s office said in a statement that an alert had been issued to the state of Kerala’s coastal regions, warning that an oil slick could impact the entire coastline.
“As the oil slick can reach anywhere along the Kerala coast, an alert has been sounded across the coastal belt,” the statement said, Indian Express reported. “The containers are drifting in the sea at a speed of 3 kph. Besides the oil in the fallen containers, marine fuel used in the ship has also leaked.”
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority is warning the public to not touch any materials that have washed ashore and could be from the ship.
“Make sure to stay at least 200 meters away,” it said in a Facebook post on Monday. “Do not gather in groups near the area. Do not obstruct authorities while they are removing materials. Stay at a safe distance.”
The ship capsized rapidly Sunday morning due to flooding in one of the holds, the Indian Coast Guard said. Twenty-one crew members were rescued by the Coast Guard and three by the Navy.
The Indian Coast Guard said it has activated a pollution response preparedness protocol and is working with state authorities to address potential spills.