China has expressed its appreciation for India’s swift and professional response in rescuing the crew of the MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire after an onboard explosion off the Kerala coast. The Chinese Embassy in India, through its spokesperson Yu Jing, acknowledged the efforts of the Indian Navy and Mumbai Coast Guard on X (formerly Twitter). The incident occurred 44 nautical miles from Azhikkal, Kerala, and involved 22 crew members, including 14 Chinese nationals (6 from Taiwan). The explosion happened while the ship was en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with four crew members missing and five injured. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed ships and aircraft for firefighting and rescue, including ICGS Rajdoot, ICGS Arnvesh, ICGS Sachet, and others. The vessel, carrying containerized cargo, is listing, and some containers have fallen overboard. The Coast Guard continues to fight the fire and cool the ship’s boundaries.
