The government of Kerala has declared the wreck of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 a state-specific disaster, four days after the vessel sank off the coast near Alappuzha.
The announcement follows growing concerns over a potential environmental crisis, with debris, plastic pellets and containers—some carrying hazardous materials—washing ashore along the state’s famed beaches.
The vessel sank on 25 May approximately 30 kilometres off the Alappuzha coast, carrying more than 400 metric tonnes of fuel and over 640 containers. The incident has sparked fears of a large-scale oil spill and widespread marine pollution, particularly as the southwest monsoon brings strong winds and heavy rain to the region.
“Considering the potentially serious environmental, social, and economic impact of the ship wreckage, the Government hereby declares the wreckage of ship M/s ELSA 3 in the Arabian Sea 14.6 nautical miles off the Kerala coast as a State-Specific Disaster,” Kerala’s Disaster Management Department said in a statement.
The Indian Coast Guard has been responding to the crisis since the ship went down, working to contain any potential oil spill and mitigate its impact on marine life. Kerala, a state heavily dependent on seafood, tourism and its coastal biodiversity, now faces a possible environmental emergency.
In response, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday announced immediate relief for fishermen in the affected districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam.
Each impacted household will receive ₹1,000 and six kilograms of rice through the public distribution system. Fishermen have also been advised not to operate within 20 nautical miles of the wreckage site.
Vijayan confirmed that 54 containers from the ship have already washed ashore in different parts of the state. Twenty of these have been taken into custody by the Customs Department, with the rest expected to be secured soon, particularly in Kollam district.
The Chief Minister said he had held talks with the ship’s owners, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), and called for the wreckage to be removed at the earliest. He also emphasised the need for a full assessment of the environmental and tourism-related damage caused by the incident.
Addressing public concerns about seafood safety, Vijayan assured that there was no immediate health risk from consuming fish caught near the wreck site.
“The containers that carried calcium carbide were heavy and have sunk to deeper parts of the sea. There is no cause for alarm. Fish from these waters are safe to eat,” he said, adding that agencies are continuing to monitor the situation and study its potential impact.
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