Script:
A major maritime emergency unfolded off the Kerala coast on Monday morning as a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, M.V. Wan Hai 503, caught fire nearly 88 nautical miles off Beypore in Kozhikode.

In a swift joint rescue operation, the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy managed to save 18 crew members, while four others are still missing. According to reports, those missing are nationals of Taiwan, Indonesia, and Myanmar, and were involved in firefighting efforts when the blaze intensified. Two others sustained serious injuries.

Latest visuals confirm that the fire is still raging, raising fears of further damage. The 270-metre-long container ship, en route from Colombo to Mumbai with over 650 containers and a 22-member crew, was expected to reach Mumbai by June 10.

The fire, which broke out in the midsection of the vessel, reportedly led to multiple explosions. The incident came to light when the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai alerted its Kochi counterpart around 9:30 AM.

Officials from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said that the 18 rescued crew members jumped into the sea and used emergency rafts to escape the flames.

This incident comes just weeks after another container ship, the Liberian-flagged M.S.C. ELSA 3, sank off the Kochi coast, once again highlighting the increasing maritime risks in the region.

Search and firefighting operations continue, with authorities closely monitoring the situation to prevent the vessel from drifting toward the coastline.