The Kerala government declared an emergency on Sunday after a Liberian cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, carrying many containers including oil and dangerous goods, sank near the state’s coast.

The ship, which had 640 containers onboard, including 64 with oil and some with hazardous items, turned over and sank. The Indian Coast Guard said the accident happened because one part of the ship got flooded.

Officials warned that oil from the ship is spreading along the Kerala coast. The Chief Minister’s office said, “As the oil slick can reach anywhere along the Kerala coast, an alert has been sounded across the coastal belt. Besides the oil in the fallen containers, marine fuel used in the ship has also leaked.”

All 24 people on the ship were rescued safely. The Coast Guard saved 21, and the Indian Navy ship INS Sujata rescued 3. The Coast Guard also shared details on X (formerly Twitter), saying the ship carried some hazardous cargo and a large amount of diesel and furnace oil.

Fishermen have been told to stay on land and keep at least 200 meters away from the water near the spill. Fishing is banned in a 20-nautical-mile area around the site to keep everyone safe.

Government teams are ready to respond if any containers wash up on the shore. Special groups from the Factories and Boilers Department and the Pollution Control Board are prepared to act quickly.

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