Kerala police register case against master and crew

KOCHI: Days after a fire broke out on board Wan Hai 503 at sea following an explosion, the police on Tuesday registered a case against the owner, master and crew members of the Singapore-flagged container vessel for rash navigation of the ship and other offences.

The Fort Kochi Coastal Police registered the case on a complaint lodged by Suneesh V P, a resident of Madappally in Kozhikode. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offences, including rash navigation of a vessel, acts endangering public ways or navigation, negligent conduct regarding poisonous substances, negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter and negligent handling of explosive substances. All the offences are bailable.

“We received the complaint on Tuesday afternoon and registered a case. The charges are similar to those filed recently against the captain and crew of cargo vessel MSC Elsa-3 that sank off the Kochi coast,” said Sivakumar, the Fort Kochi Coastal Police SHO.