Kazhakuttom: The mini-container that had been stranded near the Thumba Church after drifting from the sunken container ship off the Kochi coast has finally been removed. The container, which had been floating at sea before washing ashore, was retrieved by Sunday night by the agency contracted to recover containers lost from the ship.

Initially, the container drifted toward St Andrews Beach before being carried by the waves and getting lodged in the sand near Thumba Church. Due to a crack caused by strong waves, the wooden logs inside had already spilled out and were safely collected from the shore.

The removal of the container comes as a major relief to traditional fishermen in the area. For days, the container, along with other debris, had posed a significant threat to fishing activities, especially for those using Kamba Vala (gill nets). In addition to the container, a barge stuck in the sand and an old boat washed in during Cyclone Ockhi continue to obstruct the coast, making fishing difficult. With the container now gone, at least a part of that threat has been eased.

Meanwhile, rough waves have caused a new concern in the area. A section of the barge, which had been half-submerged near Thumba Beach after the iron rope towing it from Vizhinjam via Muthalappozhi snapped, has reportedly gone missing.