Ernakulam: 

Adopting a firm stance while hearing a public interest litigation, filed by Congress leader T N Prathapan concerning the ship accident off the Kochi coast, the court stressed that a report detailing the environmental damage and the expenses incurred should be submitted. Reiterating that delays in taking action should be avoided, the court warned that such an approach could make future accidents a common occurrence.

The Kerala High Court has questioned whether the National Investigation Agency (NIA) can investigate the recurring ship accidents off the Kerala coast.The court sought response from the Centre on this matter and also cautioned the state government that delays in taking action could lead to a proliferation of such accidents in the future.

High Court Directs Comprehensive Action and Transparency:

The court emphasised that the taxpayers' money is being used and compensation should be recovered from the shipping company. It also directed the Central government to clarify how international treaties and regulations can be examined to recover compensation. Both the Centre and the state government have confirmed that notice has been sent to the shipping company and the Coastal Police have registered a case.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji, instructed both the Central and state governments to take all possible civil and criminal actions, noting that there are legal provisions to arrest. The state government must inform the high court about the extent of environmental damage and the total money spent so far, the bench stated.

Van Hai 530 Accident: Air Force Joins Firefighting Efforts!

The assistance of the Air Force was sought because of the presence of containers with highly flammable chemicals. Air Force helicopters discharged chemical agents onto the ship to douse the flames. It is hoped that this will completely extinguish the fire and allow rescue operations to conclude today. An ICG helicopter had already ferried five members of the rescue team and an aircrew diver onto the burning vessel.

Air Force helicopters had joined in to extinguish the fire on the Van Hai 530 cargo ship that capsized 88 nautical miles off Beypore. Following four days of continuous rescue operations by the Indian Coast Guard, the fire was brought under control yesterday, with only smoke visible in the cargo holds and bays. However, fires continued to burn on the decks near the fuel tanks.

This intervention helped bring the fire under control. Simultaneously, efforts are underway to tow the burning ship into deep sea using tugboats, which is a significant advancement in the Coast Guard's rescue operation. Despite the ship listing between 10 to 15 percent, there are no concerns about its stability.

In addition to the Air Force helicopter, five ICG ships, one helicopter and two Dornier aircraft are actively involved in the rescue efforts. These are supported by two ships provided by the Directorate General of Shipping. In the initial phase, Coast Guard vessels directly pumped water onto the Van Hai 530.

ICG vessels Samudra Prahari and Sachet had continuously pumped water from both sides of the ship and cooled down the areas unaffected by the fire. The Coast Guard's Samarth vessel also participated in the operations while Coast Guard Dornier aircraft conducted aerial surveillance. The fire in the ship's forward bay was brought under control first.

Carrying 1,22,128 metric tonnes of fuel and hundreds of containers, including hazardous materials, this ship posed a significant threat to marine environment and nearby shipping routes. Thus moving it into the deep sea will considerably alleviate coastal concerns.

Coastal Police Investigation Underway:

The Coastal Police are examining the possibility of registering a case against the Van Hai 530 vessel that caught fire in the Arabian Sea. Coastal Police personnel have arrived in Mangaluru to record the statements of those injured in the ship accident. Addressing the media at the Kochi Coastal Police headquarters, Coastal Police AIG Padam Singh stated that the possibility of registering a case would be explored after examining the statements.

The recording of statements from the crew members of the MSC LC ship has also begun. The Coastal AIG mentioned that it would take some time to complete the statement recording process. Although all the accused are foreign nationals, they are currently in India, which allows for their statements to be recorded. The Coastal Police will also examine the MMD (Mercantile Marine Department) report.

The Coastal AIG dismissed allegations that only weak sections of the law were invoked, clarifying that the charges are relevant to the incident and that they are in contact with the shipping company.

The High Court will hear the petition again on June 19.

Read More :

India Slips To 131st Position In Global Gender Gap Index 2025