VASCO
A major fire erupted on a container cargo merchant vessel approximately 102 nautical miles southwest of Goa, causing a significant emergency response.
The vessel, en route from Mundra to Colombo, Sri Lanka, reported the incident, prompting the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to take immediate action. Upon receiving the distress call, the ICG diverted one of its ships to the location at maximum speed. Additionally, a Dornier aircraft was deployed for an aerial assessment of the situation.
The vessel, carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo, experienced multiple explosions at its front, exacerbating the fire and the overall danger. Despite rough seas and challenging weather conditions, the first ICG ship arrived and commenced fire-fighting operations.
The crew on board the merchant vessel, initially in a state of panic, received reassurances from the Coast Guard team, which helped stabilise the situation. To bolster the firefighting efforts, two additional ICG ships were dispatched from Goa.
