The latest news is that the container ship MSC Elsa-3, which sank off the of Kerala, has been officially declared a wreck, and the fuel has been successfully removed.

Shipping officials confirmed that the fuel has been successfully removed from the container shipSC Elsa-3, which sank off the coast of Kerala on May 25, 2025, flying the flag of Liberia. The vessel, which now been officially designated as a wreck, was drained of more than 300 tons of furnace oil and diesel through a hot oil extraction operation under the supervision of the Chief Officer the Mercantile Marine Department. "The main risk of an oil leak has been eliminated," noted the official, adding that the initial threat to the environment posed by the 67.1 tons of furnace oil and 84.44 tons of diesel on board had been eliminated.

The container ship MSC Elsa-3, route from Vizhinjam to Kochi, met with a serious accident and sank at a location about 14.6 nautical miles from Thottapp in Alappuzha district. At the time, there were 643 containers on board, including 13 containing hazardous substances, 12 with calcium carbidecalcium carbide), and 1 with organic chemicals. The presence of calcium carbide created a hazard as it reacts violently with water, releasing flammable gases.

Following the shipwreck, nearly 50 containers washed up on the shores of Alapuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapur, prompting the Kerala government to declare the incident a disaster of the state's own. A coordinated rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy ensured the safe evacuation of all 4 crew members.

With the completion of the oil spill cleanup, attention now turns to the next steps mandated by the International Convention on Wreck Removal at Nairobi: compensation claims and beginning the physical removal of the wreck. The Kollam Fort Coast Police have already registered a case against the captain and crew for navigation errors and environmental negligence. However the government's priority is on damage compensation and insurance claims rather than taking legal action to protect critical evidence.

It is understood that this salvage operation represents a significant in India's response to maritime disasters, highlighting an improved capacity to manage complex underwater operations. The focus will now shift to long-term ecological monitoring and holding the shipping company accountable

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