Kochi, June 19 -- The Kerala High Court on Wednesday issued a conditional order of arrest of Liberian-flagged vessel MSC Polo II till its parent company deposits '73.49 lakh towards a maritime claim for loss of cargo due to the sinking of MSC Elsa 3 off the Kerala coast. Justice MA Abdul Hakhim delivered this order in a plea filed by a Kerala-based cashew company - Sans Cashew India Pvt Ltd 1 which has alleged that containers with its cargo were lost at sea when the MSC Elsa 3 sank between May 24-25.

The cashew company has claimed in its admiralty suit that the ship sank "due to its mechanical, technical defects or failure on account of lack of proper care and the unseaworthiness of the vessel and/or due to improper stowage of the containe...