Detained MSC Elsa 3 crew appeal to Indian authorities for release one year after sinking

Seven detained crewmembers of the containership MSC Elsa 3 have appealed to Indian court authorities to permit their release from custody one year after their vessel sank and spilled some of her cargo off the coast of Kerala.

MSC Elsa 3's master, chief officer, chief engineer, second engineer, and three other individuals have remained in custody in India in the aftermath of the ship's sinking on May 24, 2025.

All of the ship's crew were safely rescued. However, the incident had also resulted in instances of pollution with some of the ship's cargo of containers washing up ashore along the Kerala coast and tiny plastic pellets ending up as far as northern Sri Lanka.