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Key Points

The Indian Coast Guard successfully handed over the tow of distressed MV Wan Hai 503 to the ocean-going tug Offshore Warrior, preventing it from drifting toward Kerala. A Navy helicopter braved harsh weather to deliver a salvage team onboard the vessel. Joint efforts by ICG, Navy, and IAF stabilized the ship 35 nautical miles offshore while firefighting continues. Authorities aim to keep the vessel 50 nautical miles away to avoid environmental risks.

Key Points: ICG Navy Avert MV Wan Hai 503 Drift Toward Kerala Coast

  • ICG ships maintained vessel position amid strong winds
  • Navy Sea King deployed salvage team in harsh weather
  • Joint ops secured 600m tow to ocean-going tug
  • Three ICG vessels escort ship 35 nautical miles offshore
3 min read

ICG transfers tow of MV Wan Hai 503 to ocean-going tug Offshore Warrior; Averts drift towards Kerala Coast

Indian Coast Guard transfers MV Wan Hai 503 tow to Offshore Warrior, preventing environmental disaster near Kerala with joint Navy and IAF support.

"The Indian Coast Guard remains ever-prepared to respond to such contingencies - ICG"

Kochi, June 14

In a significant development in the salvage operations of MV Wan Hai 503, the vessel's tow was successfully transferred from Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships to the ocean-going tug Offshore Warrior on 13 June 2025. This shift was essential to progress the operation, as ICG vessels have limited bollard pull - a term denoting the towing capacity of a ship, said ICG.

For the past few days, ICG ships had been maintaining the vessel's position away from the coast. However, sudden deterioration in weather conditions, accompanied by strong westerly winds, caused the vessel to drift rapidly towards the shoreline. The adverse weather restricted aerial operations and delayed the embarkation of the salvage team members onto the vessel, said ICG.

Despite these challenges, around 1700 hours on 13 June, a Navy Sea King helicopter successfully launched from Kochi with the salvage team and winched them onboard the distressed vessel under extremely difficult conditions.

Subsequently, a 600-metre tow rope was connected to the ocean-going tug approximately 20 nautical miles off Kochi. This crucial joint operation involving the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force enabled the salvors to take over the vessel from the ICG and continue the firefighting and salvage work.

The vessel is currently being towed westward at a speed of approximately 1.8 knots and is now nearly 35 nautical miles off the coast.

Three Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessels are escorting the vessel while also continuing essential firefighting efforts. At the time of this report, only thick smoke and a few remaining hotspots are visible onboard Wan Hai 503 - a testament to the effective and sustained firefighting operations carried out by the ICG, which helped prevent a potential environmental disaster.

The ICG is closely coordinating with the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure the vessel remains at least 50 nautical miles from the Indian coastline until a suitable fate is decided by the owners of the vessel, in line with internationally accepted practices.

According to the ICG, this marks a major stride in mitigating a hazardous situation and safeguarding the coastal environment. The situation is expected to further stabilise with the anticipated arrival of additional firefighting tugs to support the ongoing operation.

"The Indian Coast Guard remains ever-prepared to respond to such contingencies and continues to work in close synergy with sister services, state authorities, regulatory agencies, and private salvors to ensure the safety of life, property, and the marine ecosystem," said ICG.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Great job by our Coast Guard and Navy! 👏 Kerala's coastline was saved from potential disaster. This shows why we need to keep investing in our maritime security forces. The coordination between different agencies was impressive.
P
Priya M.
As someone from Kochi, I'm relieved! The thought of an environmental disaster so close to our beautiful beaches was terrifying. Big salute to the brave personnel who worked in such difficult conditions. Hope they get proper recognition for this.
A
Arjun S.
While the operation was successful, I wonder why we don't have more powerful tugs in our fleet? Relying on private tugs in emergencies shows gaps in our maritime infrastructure. This should be a wake-up call for modernization.
S
Sunita R.
The marine ecosystem is so fragile. Thank God the ICG acted quickly! � We often take our coastal security for granted, but incidents like this show how important their work is. The fishermen community must be especially grateful.
V
Vikram J.
Excellent coordination between Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force! This is how our forces should work together. The helicopter operation in bad weather must have been extremely challenging. Jai Hind!
N
Neha P.
The real heroes are those unnamed personnel who boarded the burning ship. Hope the government makes the ship owners pay for this entire operation. Why should Indian taxpayers bear the cost of others' negligence?

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