Three Suspicious Containers Wash Ashore in Maharashtra’s Palghar, Coast Guard on Alert

Three unidentified containers were discovered washed ashore along the Palghar coast of Maharashtra on Sunday, prompting a heightened security response from local authorities and central agencies.

According to officials, two containers were found near Satpati beach and one near Shirgaon beach. The discovery led to immediate alerts being issued to coastal villages and intensified patrolling along the shoreline.

Confirming the incident, Vivekanand Kadam, Chief of the Disaster Management Cell of Palghar, told PTI: “We received information about three unidentified containers being washed up on the Palghar coast. Two were found near Satpati beach and one on Shirgaon beach.”

Teams from the Indian Coast Guard and Palghar Police cordoned off the affected areas to restrict public access. However, efforts to examine the containers were hampered by rising tidal conditions, which left the containers partially submerged. “Due to high tide, it is currently difficult to access and examine the containers. We are coordinating with the Coast Guard to ensure a safe and controlled recovery operation,” Kadam said.

While the contents and origin of the containers remain unconfirmed, officials suspect they may have drifted ashore from a distressed vessel or shipwreck in deep waters. Bomb disposal squads and hazardous materials teams have been placed on standby until the containers are safely inspected.

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred when a container washed up on Vasai beach, raising fresh concerns about maritime safety and coastal surveillance. “We are not ruling out any possibilities at this stage,” Kadam said, adding that investigators are examining whether the containers were lost accidentally during rough seas or dumped illegally.

A joint probe has been launched by the Palghar Police and the Indian Coast Guard, with maritime authorities also working to trace the containers’ possible origin using shipping logs and surveillance data. Meanwhile, the district disaster management team has issued advisories to coastal villages and stepped up patrols along the shoreline as a precautionary measure.