The vessel capsizes off the coast of Kerala, India on Sunday morning. — ANI/VNA Photo

NEW DELHI — A container vessel carrying hundreds of cargo boxes and hazardous chemicals sank off south India on Sunday morning after efforts to salvage it failed.

All 24 crew members of the Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the navy.

The 184-metre-long ship was en route to Kochi from Vizhinjam port.

It began tilting on Saturday about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi.

Coast guard patrol ships and the merchant vessels MV Han Yi and MSC Silver 2 were diverted to assist the capsized vessel, which sank due to flooding around 7.50am on Sunday, according to an Indian defence ministry statement.

The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 containing hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide.

The ship held 84 tonnes of diesel and 367 tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks.

It was manned by 20 crew members from the Philippines, two Ukrainians, one Georgian and one Russian national.

Given the sensitive marine ecosystem along the Kerala coast, the coast guard has activated full pollution response preparedness, the Indian defence ministry said.

"ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance, and ICG ship Saksham, carrying pollution response equipment, remains deployed at the site. So far, no oil spill has been reported," it said. — THE STAR/ANN