MSC Elsa 3 crew still stuck in India nearly a year after sinking

Seven crewmembers from the sunken container ship MSC Elsa 3 have asked the Kerala High Court for permission to leave India after spending almost 11 months in the country following the casualty, The Maritime Telegraph reports.

 

The Liberia-flagged vessel sank off the Kerala coast on May 25, 2025, while sailing from Vizhinjam to Kochi. All 24 crewmembers were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.

 

Indian authorities reportedly instructed the crew to remain in Kochi during the investigation, and their passports were taken. The latest petition was filed by the captain and six other officers from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and the Philippines.

 

The group says they fully cooperated with investigators. They also noted that no criminal charges have been filed against the remaining crew members. While 15 seafarers were allowed to leave India in 2025, the other seven are still waiting for permission to return home.

 

The MSC Elsa 3 sinking also caused serious environmental damage along Kerala’s coastline. Containers carrying calcium carbide and plastic nurdles washed ashore after the casualty, while local authorities later filed major compensation claims against the vessel’s owner and operator over pollution and economic losses.

 

Picture: REUTERS