Kannur/Mangaluru: Two crew members rescued from the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503 are in critical condition with severe burns, while four others have sustained minor injuries, according to AJ Hospital and Research Centre.

"Of the six patients admitted, two are critical with 30 per cent to 40 per cent inhalation burns affecting the respiratory system, which makes their condition serious. The remaining four have minor burns but still require medical care," Dr Dinesh Khatam of AJ Hospital told the media.

The injured were part of the 18-member crew rescued by INS Surat after the vessel caught fire off the coast between Beypore and Azhikkal ports. The naval ship reached Mangaluru port with the rescued crew around 11.30 Monday night.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has reported that fire and explosions continue aboard the container vessel Wan Hai 503, concentrated from midships to the container bay ahead of the accommodation block. While the blaze in the forward bay has been brought under control, thick smoke continues to billow from the vessel.

The ship is reportedly listing approximately 10–15 degrees to port, with additional containers observed drifting overboard.

ICG ships Samudra Prahari and Sachet remain engaged in firefighting and boundary cooling operations, while ICG Ship Samarth, along with salvage experts, is being deployed from Kochi to assist in the operation.

A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft took off on Tuesday morning to conduct an aerial survey of the area. INS Sutlej remains in the vicinity to provide any further support.

There were 22 crew members on board the vessel. Four crew members who went for the initial firefighting were reported missing. This includes two Taiwanese nationals, one Indonesian national, and one Myanmar national.

A container explosion triggered the fire onboard. The incident was reported when the vessel was approximately 78 nautical miles off Beypore. Twenty containers reportedly fell into the sea following multiple explosions and a fire on board.

On receipt of information, Indian Coast Guard (ICG)  assets were diverted immediately and are coordinating rescue operations for the crew. By 12.40 pm, the fire spread to other containers, and the crew abandoned the vessel. ICG Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Mumbai, diverted MV One Marvel, which recovered 18 of the crew.

The 270-metre-long vessel departed Colombo on June 7 and was expected to reach the Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai on June 10.