Indian Coast Guard Battles Fire on Maersk Frankfurt Near Mangalore
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is leading efforts to extinguish a fire on the merchant vessel Maersk Frankfurt, which is currently 35 nautical miles southwest of Mangalore. The firefighting operations have entered their third day.
Firefighting Efforts
The operations are being led by ICG ships Sujeet, Sachet, and Samrat off the Karwar coast. Although the fire has reduced in scale, heavy smoke continues to obscure the flames. The fire has spread 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 crew members has been found dead. The ICG is taking all measures to control the fire.
Current Situation
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.
Additional Support
Coast Guard District Headquarters No. 11 (Goa) is arranging the provision of DCP bags and balls to aid in firefighting operations. The specialized 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.
Initial Response
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 mobilized 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.
Doubts Revealed
Indian Coast Guard -: The Indian Coast Guard is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces that is responsible for protecting India’s maritime interests and enforcing maritime law.
Maersk Frankfurt -: Maersk Frankfurt is the name of a large merchant ship that is used to transport goods across the ocean.
Mangalore -: Mangalore is a major port city in the Indian state of Karnataka, located on the west coast of India.
nautical miles -: A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used in maritime and air navigation. It is equal to about 1.85 kilometers.
starboard side -: The starboard side of a ship is the right side when you are facing forward towards the front of the ship.
Filipino crew member -: A Filipino crew member is a person from the Philippines who works on the ship.
Coast Guard ships Sujeet, Sachet, and Samrat -: These are the names of specific ships that belong to the Indian Coast Guard and are being used to help put out the fire.
pollution control vessel Samudra Prahari -: Samudra Prahari is a special ship designed to control and clean up pollution in the ocean, and it is also helping with the firefighting efforts.