3 min readAhmedabadMay 15, 2026 03:32 AM ISTFurther investigation is underway.METHANE BUILDUP in the cargo hold of a bulk carrier ship berthed at Kandla port, Kutch, is the likely reason for the death of three migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, the Gujarat Police said on Thursday.The ship had left from the port of Portland in Victoria, Australia, on April 9 and had reached Kandla Port in Gujarat, India, on May 10.Rajkumar Ramkishor (36), Rajesh Ramchand (34), and Mashuqali Sultanali (34), all from UP, were working on unloading Australian Pine Wood logs from the Panama-flagged ship MV Pan Optimum at the time of the incident.The incident happened between 11:50 am and 12:30 pm on May 13, while the stevedoring operation (unloading) was being carried out by Rishi Shipping India Pvt Ltd. The vessel agent was DBC & Sons.The three men were working for Mira Cargo Handling, which was working under the account of Rishi Shipping India Pvt. Ltd, and were found in an unconscious condition inside the entrance (manhole) area of Cargo Hold No. 3, said a statement from Deendayal Ports Authority (DPA).An Accidental Death (AD) report was filed at Kandla Marine police station of Kutch (East) Police. sub-inspector Y P Gohil, who is investigating the case, told The Indian Express, “The workers opened hatch no.3, which was not supposed to be opened as it was a restricted area. The wood that had been loaded onto the ship had been sprayed with chemicals for the journey, which leads to methane buildup in the cargo hold and some time needs to be given for the gases to be released before opening the hatch.”A statement issued by DPA said, “Upon noticing the incident, immediate rescue operations were initiated with the assistance of the vessel crew. The affected persons were evacuated from the cargo hold area and shifted to the hospital for further medical treatment through port ambulances at approximately 12:30 pm. Where the victims were declared dead by the duty doctor.”Story continues below this adSI Gohil added, “When the first man opened the hatch and climbed down, he fell unconscious. Seeing this, another man followed him and also suffered the same fate. Then, the third man (mukaddam/leader) also went to help them and he too fell unconscious. After a while, some workers realised that something was wrong and when they checked, they saw the men were lying inside the cargo hold. They wore oxygen masks, brought them out and took them to a doctor who declared them dead.” Further investigation is underway.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:ahmedabadAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementLive BlogWBCHSE West Bengal HS Result 2026 LIVE Updates: 64 students feature in top 10 merit list24 minutes agoWBCHSE West Bengal HS 12th Result 2026, Wbchse.wb.gov.in LIVE: Adrito Paul tops West Bengal HS results44 minutes agoTop News Headlines of May 14, 2026 | AAP MP writes to Punjab Governor after SATH activists blacken signboards over omission of Punjabi1 hour agoTrump-Xi Summit LIVE: China has agreed to buy 200 Boeing jets, report cites Trump as saying3 hours agoHBSE 10th Result 2026, bseh.org.in Live Updates: Scorecards out at bseh.org.in, check list of toppers4 hours ago