Sri Lanka’s navy was Wednesday battling a fire aboard a massive container ship travelling from Singapore to Egypt.
The navy said it had received a distress call on Tuesday when the 14,000-container ship MSC Daniela was about 120 nautical miles (222 kilometres) away from Sri Lanka.
Container ship MSC Daniela - Image courtesy of Miranda Reiffers Te Loo
The Navy dispatched two Fast Attack Craft (FAC) P 436 and P 412 to the location to assist Sri Lanka Port Authority tugs, Rawana and Maha Wewa to douse the flames.
Meanwhile, Indian media reported that the Indian Navy sent two of its ships named INS Ghariyal and INS Darshak to assist the vessel. The rescue ships had reached the spot at midnight.
“There are no casualties among the 22-member crew,” spokesman Chaminda Walakuluge told AFP.
The vessel has now been guided to a location north of the Colombo port.