A Panama-flagged cargo vessel, MV Ocean Winner, sank in the Bay of Bengal around 240 nautical miles off Odisha’s Paradip coast on Saturday, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.
The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh. It was transporting iron ore from Odisha to Singapore when the incident occurred.
According to officials, the ship had left Paradip Port on August 20 and was carrying iron ore loaded from Odisha. Communication with the vessel was lost on August 22, following which a distress alert was issued and rescue agencies were mobilised.
Two Crew Members Rescued
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy launched a joint search-and-rescue operation after receiving information about the loss of communication with the vessel.
As of Saturday evening, two crew members had been rescued from two life rafts, while search operations continued for the remaining crew members. Nearby vessels were also alerted and asked to assist in the rescue effort.
The Coast Guard deployed multiple ships to expand the search operation. Authorities are working to locate the missing crew members and determine the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
Cause of Sinking Unknown
The exact reason why the vessel sank has not yet been established. Officials are continuing to gather information about the ship's final movements and the circumstances before communication was lost.
The incident has prompted an extensive maritime rescue operation, with Indian authorities coordinating efforts across the Bay of Bengal.
