Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships ‘Vaibhav’ and ‘Vajra’ are involved in the firefighting efforts to douse the fire onboard MV X-Press Pearl off Colombo.
- The ICG ships are continuously making multiple runs across the length of the ship while going close enough to effectively spray foam/water and at the same time keeping clear of the hanging burned and mangled containers which are at the risk of falling overboard.
- Despite the major fire that has been raging onboard MV X-Press Pearl since May 25, 2021, the hull of the ship is still intact which may be attributed to its double hulled structure and continuous fire-fighting efforts.
- The fire on the X-Press Pearl was first reported on May 20, after the ship arrived at a Colombo anchorage approximately 9.5 miles from the entrance to the harbor.
