Mangaluru Port Welcomes 18 Rescued Sailors from Fire-Hit Ship MV Wan Hai 503, Search Continues for 4

 

MV Wan Hai 503

Mangaluru, June 10, 2025 – In a daring rescue operation, the Indian Navy vessel INS Surat safely brought 18 crew members of the fire-hit Singapore-flagged container ship MV Wan Hai 503 to the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Panambur, docking at 10:45 PM on Monday, June 9. The vessel, en route from Colombo to Mumbai, caught fire on June 9, approximately 78 nautical miles off the Beypore coast in Kerala, prompting a swift response from the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. Tragically, four crew members remain missing at sea, with search efforts ongoing.

The 18 rescued crew members include eight Chinese, four Taiwanese, four from Myanmar, and two from Indonesia. Among them, two sailors—Lu Yanli (China) and Sonitur Haeni (Indonesia)—are critically injured with severe burns, while four others—Xu Fabao and Guo Linino (China), Thein Than Htay and Kyi Zaw Htoo (Myanmar)—sustained minor injuries. The injured were promptly evacuated to AJ Hospital in Kuntikana, Mangaluru, post-midnight for urgent medical care. Dr. Dinesh Kadam, a plastic surgeon at AJ Hospital, confirmed that the two critically injured sailors suffered 35-40% burns, requiring intensive treatment.

The remaining 12 crew members, unharmed but shaken, were accommodated at a hotel in Mangaluru. They include Wei Chun-Ju, Tag Peng, Kan Hiue Wal, Lin Chun Cheng, Feng Li, Li Fengguang, Thet Htut Swe, Guo Erchun, Holik Asyari, Su Wei, Chang Ren-Han, and Wu Wen-Chi. “The critically injured were stabilized onboard INS Surat before being transferred under close medical supervision. Immediate evacuation was our priority,” said a Coast Guard official, highlighting the seamless coordination between the Navy, Coast Guard, port authorities, and local police.

The MV Wan Hai 503, a 270-meter-long container vessel, reported an internal container explosion on June 9, leading to a massive fire and the loss of 20 containers, some containing hazardous materials, into the Arabian Sea. The Indian Navy received the distress call at 9:30 AM and deployed INS Surat and a Dornier aircraft, rescuing 18 of the 22 crew members by 4:30 PM the same day. The four missing crew members—Yu Bo-Fong (Taiwan), San Win (Myanmar), Zaenal Abidin (Indonesia), and Hsieh Chia-Wen (Taiwan)—were part of the initial firefighting efforts and remain unaccounted for.

Port workers described emotional scenes as the rescued sailors disembarked, some on stretchers, others whispering prayers or inquiring about their missing colleagues. “The coordinated efforts ensured a smooth handover and immediate medical attention,” said a New Mangalore Port official. The Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and other stakeholders continue their search for the missing crew, with concerns raised about hazardous cargo complicating firefighting efforts.

Keywords: INS Surat, MV Wan Hai 503, New Mangalore Port, Mangaluru, Indian Navy Rescue, Ship Fire, Kerala Coast, Crew Missing, Emergency Response