A Singapore-flagged cargo ship, Wan Hai 503, en route from Colombo to Mumbai, caught fire approximately 40 km off the Beypore–Azhikkal coastline in Kerala's Arabian Sea waters on June 9. Spanning 270 m with a 12.5 m draft, the vessel was carrying over 650 containers when an under-deck explosion triggered the blaze, causing around 20–50 containers to plummet into the sea.

There were 40 crew members aboard. Following multiple blasts, 18 crew were forced to abandon ship, jumping into the sea and boarding rescue crafts.

 The Indian Coast Guard and Navy responded swiftly, deploying interceptor boats from Kochi and Beypore, along with Dornier aircraft and INS Surat in a coordinated search and rescue mission aimed at recovering the crew and extinguishing the fire.

Kerala's state government, led by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, has instructed district authorities to ready medical and emergency response teams for evacuated crew members arriving ashore . While the ship remains afloat for now, authorities are closely monitoring to prevent environmental hazards and salvage operations.

The fire on Wan Hai 503 is a serious incident that could threaten marine life and coastal safety. With rescue operations underway and fire suppression continuing, the situation remains fluid.