A detailed scientific investigation by the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has conclusively shown that the sinking of the container vessel MSC Elsa 3 off the Kerala coast on May 25, 2025, unleashed severe ecological damage across the south-eastern Arabian Sea.
The catastrophic incident profoundly affected vital aspects of marine life, including water quality, plankton populations, benthic organisms, and the delicate stages of fish eggs and larvae. Even after many days, oil continued to persist in the water, defying natural turbulence and strong currents, pointing to an ongoing leakage risk. The CMLRE study stresses the critical need to seal the wreck’s fuel compartments and implement long-term environmental monitoring to protect both marine ecosystems and invaluable fisheries resources.
This comprehensive research expedition was conducted aboard the FORV Sagar Sampada from June 2 to June 12, 2025. Scientists meticulously sampled 23 locations spanning from Kochi to Kanyakumari, with a particular focus on areas immediately surrounding the shipwreck site.
Analysis of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fractions confirmed the presence of hazardous compounds like naphthalene, fluorene, anthracene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene. Strikingly, elevated levels of naphthalene, a clear indicator of human-caused contamination, strongly suggested continuous leakage from the vessel’s fuel compartments. Furthermore, heightened concentrations of trace metals typically found in petroleum, such as nickel, lead, copper, and vanadium, were discovered in both water and sediment samples near the wreck. These compelling results firmly establish the sunken ship as a significant local source of both hydrocarbon and heavy-metal pollution.
Devastating Consequences for Marine Life
The study’s grim findings extended to marine fauna, with a substantial number of fish eggs and larvae in the affected zone exhibiting decay – a strong indication of mortality caused by oil exposure during their most vulnerable developmental stages. Benthic organisms, those residing on the seabed, also displayed undeniable signs of ecological distress.
Within mere days of the disaster, sensitive marine species experienced a drastic decline, leaving behind a stark dominance of pollution-tolerant worms and bivalves. This alarming shift points to an intense disruption of the seabed environment, carrying severe potential long-term repercussions for both sediment health and vital fisheries habitats.
The research further highlighted clear impacts on higher marine animals. Observers noted a Brown Noddy seabird (Anous stolidus) seeking prolonged refuge on the shipwreck, compulsively preening its feathers—a classic behavior seen in birds suffering from oil-contaminated plumage. Such observations serve as a stark reminder of the extreme vulnerability of marine birds and other higher organisms in the immediate vicinity of the oil spill.