Kerala police registers FIR against Liberian flagged ship that sank off state's coast

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police have registered a case in connection with the sinking of Mediterranean Shipping Company's MSC ELSA-3 container ship with hazardous cargo in the Arabian sea off the Kerala coast on May 24.

Even as the state government earlier viewed that no legal action need to be initiated against the major shipping firm to maintain good relationship with MSC that operates motherships to recently commissioned Vizhinjam international seaport run by Adani ports, the police were forced to register a case as an individual filed the petition. Alappuzha native C Shamji filed the petition.

The case was registered on Wednesday at the Fort Kochi coastal police station, which is the police station in Kerala designated to take action in incidents that happen up to 200 nautical miles in the sea.

According to the first-information-report, the first accused is the 'Owners of MSC ELSA 3 ship', second accused 'MSC ELSA-3 ship master' and third accused 'MSC ELSA-3 shipping crew and others'.

Bharatiya NyayaSanhita's section 282 for rash navigation of vessels, 285 for danger or obstruction in a public way or line of navigation, 286 negligent conduct involving poisonous substances, 287 for Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter, 288 negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances and 3(5) for act done with common intention

The FIR states that neglect by the accused led to the mishap. It caused environmental hazards as plastic and other cargo from the containers were discharged in the sea. The incident caused huge loss to fishermen and causing obstruction to the movements of ships.