Today: 7 February 2025
26 May 2021
2 mins read

Lankan Navy rescues foreign crew from burning cargo ship

The vessel sent out a distress call while being close to the Colombo Port on May 20, and soon caught fire…reports Asian Lite News

 Sri Lankan authorities on Tuesday rescued 25 foreign crew members onboard a cargo ship which was engulfed in flames off the Colombo Harbour, while the Navy said an explosion was heard within the vessel earlier in the day.

The Singapore-flagged container ship, X-PRESS PEARL, was carrying 1,486 containers with 25 tonnes of nitric acid and several other chemicals and cosmetics from the port of Hazira, India, on May 15, according to the Navy.

The vessel sent out a distress call while being close to the Colombo Port on May 20, and soon caught fire, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Sri Lankan Navy dispatched vessels to bring the fire under control.

By Tuesday morning, eight cargo containers had fallen into the sea and the vessel was reported to be unstable, the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) said.

Container ship turns into floating inferno off Colombo (Credit SL Air Force) (2)

The Sri Lanka Navy said it had rescued 25 crew members from the cargo ship.

Two injured Indians among the rescued had been hospitalised for treatment, according to the Navy.

The distressed container ship had a crew who are Philippine, Chinese, Indian and Russian nationals.

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) said it had deployed Bell-212 helicopters to drop dry chemical powder on the X-Press Pearl to douse the fire.

While these operations were ongoing amid inclement weather, the MEPA urged citizens in capital Colombo to avoid going to the beaches and touching any floating objects in the water as they might be chemicals from the burning fire.

The MEPA has launched a probe to assess if there has been any environmental destruction due to the fire.

Indian Coast Guard rushed to spot

The Indian Coast Guard has rushed two of its ships with capability to fight fire and undertake pollution response to douse the major fire on container carrier MV X-Press Pearl near Sri Lanka’s Colombo port.

Sri Lankan authorities have sought Indian Coast Guard assistance towards firefighting and for augmenting pollution response measures in light of the oil spill.

According to the Coast Guard, its assets at Kochi, Chennai and Thoothukodi are on standby for immediate assistance for pollution control.

Further Coast Guard aircraft are being brought to Thoothukodi from Chennai and Kochi for aerial surveillance and pollution response.

ALSO READ: Sri Lanka bans travellers from India


Previous Story

Pak Army concerned over cross-border firing along Afghan border

Next Story

Hamas rules out Gaza reconstruction plans

Latest from Asia News

Sharaa’s Saudi Trip Sparks Optimism

Experts believe that al-Sharaa’s trip to Saudi Arabia underscores the Kingdom’s strategic role in shaping Syria’s post-conflict transition..reports Asian Lite News Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s first official visit abroad since taking

Hamas Declares Gaza a ‘Disaster Zone’

Hamas Declares Gaza a ‘Disaster Zone’ as Crisis Deepens…reports Asian Lite News Hamas declared the Gaza Strip a “disaster zone”, warning of an unprecedented catastrophe that threatens the lives of its over

Israel Expands West Bank Ops

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli ground troops and bulldozers raided the area…reports Asian Lite News The Israeli military said on Sunday that it has expanded its major campaign

Return of the Gazans 

The smell of gunpowder still hung in the air, a testament to the violence that had ravaged the area….reports Asian Lite News The landscape of Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip

Gaza Rejects Trump’s Plan

Protesters strongly rejected any plan or measures aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land…reports Asian Lite News Dozens of Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza, protesting against US President Donald Trump’s
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Chinese debt trap: Lanka going Ugandan way

Lankan former Army Commander alleged that it has been made

Toll from adverse weather conditions in SL reaches 25

The death toll from the adverse weather conditions in Sri