Dangerous container ship fire near southern India coast

According to Indian authorities, the Indian Coast Guard has managed to tow a container ship that has caught fire off the coast of Kerala in southern India, with a view to averting a potential ecological disaster. The Singapore-flagged vessel, which was transporting 2,128 tonnes of fuel and hundreds of containers, including hazardous cargo such as flammable liquids, toxic substances, and hazardous solid materials, was en route to Mumbai from the port of Colombo, Sri Lanka, when it reported multiple explosions and a subsequent fire about 88 nautical miles off the coast of Beypore, Kerala. The explosions sparked a fire and caused a significant quantity of the ship’s containers to fall into the Arabian Sea. According to Indian official sources, the situation continues to be critical and is being constantly monitored as the fire persists in the vicinity of the fuel tanks. Indian authorities have thus far not explained the cause of the explosions and subsequent fire that occurred on the vessel. Of the 22 crew members on board, 18 abandoned the ship with the assistance of the Navy and Coast Guard. Four individuals remain unaccounted for.