In a rare moment of appreciation between geopolitical rivals, China publicly thanked India after the Indian Navy and Coast Guard successfully rescued 22 crew members—including 14 Chinese nationals—from a burning cargo ship off the coast of Kerala. The vessel, identified as MV Wan Hai 503, encountered a major mishap on June 9 when an explosion triggered a fire onboard while it was navigating through waters approximately one nautical mile from Kerala’s coastline. The ship carried a total of 22 crew members, including 14 Chinese, 5 Myanmarese, and 3 Indonesians.
As the fire spread rapidly, the situation onboard became critical, leaving the crew with no clear escape. Upon receiving the distress call, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard launched an immediate and large-scale rescue operation. INS Surat deployed a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft to the scene, while additional support was provided by C-144 aircraft and five rescue vessels working in coordination to bring the situation under control. Thanks to their prompt action, all 22 crew members were safely evacuated without any casualties.
In an unusual diplomatic gesture, Chinese Ambassador to India, Yu Jing, expressed his deep gratitude through a post on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter). “I am very grateful to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard. You have saved the lives of our people,” he wrote. This public acknowledgment is significant, especially in light of ongoing tensions between India and China—both militarily and diplomatically, including recent alignments between China and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian Navy’s humanitarian response has not only underscored its professionalism and maritime capability but also elevated India’s standing as a responsible and responsive maritime power. Yu Jing's message of thanks has been widely circulated, sparking a moment of national pride in India.