Coast Guard Fights Major Fire on Merchant Navy Ship Off Karwar Coast

A significant fire broke out on the MV Maersk Frankfurt merchant navy ship off Karwar coast, which has now been doused by the Coast Guard. The vessel, carrying hazardous cargo, caught fire en route from Mundra to Colombo. One crew member lost their life in the incident.

A significant fire that erupted on July 19 aboard the MV Maersk Frankfurt merchant navy ship off the Karwar coast has been successfully extinguished, the Coast Guard reported on Tuesday. Efforts are ongoing to keep the vessel in deep sea due to the looming threat to the coastline.

The vessel is currently situated 13 nautical miles west of New Mangalore and is heading towards open sea, according to an official statement from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

The MV Maersk Frankfurt, carrying 1,154 containers including hazardous materials such as benzene and sodium cyanate, caught fire 102 nautical miles off the coast of Goa while traveling from Mundra in Gujarat to Colombo in Sri Lanka. The blaze claimed the life of one crew member, a Coast Guard official confirmed on Sunday.

The ICG facilitated the boarding of an initial team, consisting of one Indian and three Filipino members, to tackle the blaze.

Thanks to the ICG's sustained efforts as first responders, the major fire has been extinguished; however, minor fires continue to flare up due to the contents of the containers, noted the maritime security agency.

ICGS Samudra Prahari, a specialized pollution control vessel, and ICGS Sachet, an advanced offshore patrol vessel, are currently working on extinguishing the residual fires on the ship.

Given the severe threat to the Indian coastline, all efforts are being made to keep the vessel well clear of the coast and in deeper waters, the Coast Guard added.

(With inputs from agencies.)