There were 24 crew members aboard the vessel. Of these, 21 were rescued by the Navy and Coast Guard on Saturday evening. As the vessel began sinking, the Navy rescued the remaining three — the captain, chief engineer, and second engineer — on Sunday morning.
MSC Elsa 3, a Liberia-flagged container vessel built in 1997, has a length of 184 metres and a beam of 25.3 metres.
Reports indicate that more containers fell into the sea during the early hours of the day. These containers are drifting at a speed of approximately one kilometre per hour and are expected to reach the Kerala coast, particularly between Alappuzha and Ernakulam, within two days.
According to sources, the vessel was carrying 148 containers, some of which may drift toward the Kerala coast due to the influence of the monsoon currents.
Authorities have issued a public advisory warning residents not to approach or touch any containers that wash ashore, as they may contain hazardous materials. While there is no official confirmation of the exact contents, sources indicate that the cargo includes sulphur.