Seven crewmembers of the sunken containership MSC Elsa 3 have petitioned the Kerala High Court for permission to leave India after remaining in the country for almost 11 months following the casualty off Kerala.
The Liberia-flagged MSC Elsa 3 capsized and sank about 14.6 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on May 25, 2025, while sailing from Vizhinjam to Kochi. All 24 crewmembers were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.
According to court filings, India’s Mercantile Marine Department instructed the crew not to leave Kochi without written permission after the casualty, while their passports were reportedly seized during the investigation.
The petition was submitted by the vessel’s captain along with six others seafarers, including the chief officer, chief engineer and second engineer. The crewmembers are from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and the Philippines.
The group argues that they have fully cooperated with investigators and that, apart from the master, no criminal charges have been filed against them. The crewmembers noted that 15 colleagues were allowed to leave India in August 2025, but repeated requests from the remaining seven to return home on humanitarian grounds were denied.
The Kerala High Court has requested responses from the Indian central government, Kerala authorities, the Directorate General of Shipping and the Mercantile Marine Department. A further hearing is scheduled for May 29.
The MSC Elsa 3 casualty triggered major environmental and legal fallout. The vessel was carrying 643 containers, including calcium carbide and plastic nurdles, many of which later washed ashore along Kerala’s coastline. Cleanup operations recovered about 630 tonnes of debris, while authorities also worked to remove oil from the wreck.
The Kerala government has filed compensation claims worth approximately ₹9,531 crore against the vessel’s owner and operator, citing marine pollution and economic losses suffered by coastal fishing communities. Cargo interests, local groups and Indian authorities have also launched legal claims related to the sinking.
Environmental organizations say plastic nurdles linked to the casualty continue to appear on Kerala beaches nearly a year later, warning that changing sea conditions may keep bringing debris ashore.
