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The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) continues to lead firefighting efforts onboard the merchant vessel Maersk Frankfurt, which is currently 35 nautical miles southwest of Mangalore, as the firefighting efforts enter day three of the operations on Sunday.
The operations are led by the ICG ships Sujeet, Sachet, and Samrat off the Karwar coast. At the moment, the fire has reduced in scale but heavy smoke persists, obscuring the flames. The fire has extended to the starboard side of the vessel, particularly affecting lower stacked containers. According to an ICG official, the body of one of the missing Filipino members of the 21 crew has been found dead. The Indian Coast Guard is taking all measures to control the fire, he further added. Earlier, the fire in the forepart of the vessel had been suppressed, but heavy smoke continued to emanate. Unfortunately, the fire has reignited in the midship area. ICG ships Sachet, Sujeet, and Samrat are still actively engaged in firefighting operations. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft has conducted an aerial assessment of the situation. Additionally, an ALH Dhruv helicopter was launched from New Mangalore for Goa, conducting an assessment of the vessel route and evaluating the feasibility of deploying dry chemical powder (DCP) bags on Saturday. Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 11 (Goa) is arranging the provision of DCP bags and balls to aid in firefighting operations. The specialised pollution control vessel, Samudra Prahari, is being deployed to the scene today to provide further assistance. At present, there is no requirement for the evacuation of the crew. The master of the vessel has indicated that anchoring is not feasible due to the inaccessibility of the forecastle area, which has been compromised by melting containers, posing significant risks to the crew. The ICG remains committed to ensuring the safety of the crew and the vessel while mitigating the impact of this incident on maritime safety and the environment. Continuous monitoring and response efforts are underway to bring the situation under control. Late on Friday night, July 19, the Indian Coast Guard control room in Mumbai received a distress call from container carrier MV Maersk Frankfurt 50 NM off Karwar regarding a major fire onboard. ICG Dornier and the ships Sachet, Sujeet, and Samrat were immediately pressed into action. An additional aircraft was also mobilised to augment search and rescue efforts. The Coast Guard said that firefighting was in progress to avert ecological disasters and ensure the safety of the vessel and crew. (ANI)
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