India, May 25 -- Liberian vessel MSC ELSA 3, with 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide, sank off the Kochi coast on Sunday due to flooding, the India Ministry of Defence confirmed.

The Indian Ministry said 24 crew members on board were rescued from the vessel.

The vessel were loaded with 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil.

"Given the sensitive marine ecosystem along the Kerala's coast, ICG has activated full pollution response preparedness," the statement said.

The Ministry said an ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems is conducting aerial surveillance, and ICG ship Saksham, carrying pollution response equipment, remains deployed at the site.

"So far...