Thiruvananthapuram, May 29 -- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday declared the sinking of the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 off Kochi as a State Special Disaster.

The vessel sank on May 24, prompting concerns about environmental damage and potential impact on coastal communities.

Vijayan emphasised that the state's priority is safeguarding the environment and protecting people's livelihoods in coastal areas. The government is taking immediate action to mitigate the disaster's effects and ensure the ecosystem's safety.

Speaking on Thursday, CM Vijayan said, " We are declaring this incident a State Special Disaster. Our priority is to safeguard our environment and protect the livelihoods of our coastal commun...