Bhubaneswar: A massive joint search and rescue operation led by the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy is currently underway in the Bay of Bengal after a Panama-flagged merchant vessel, MV Ocean Winner, sank approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Paradip on Saturday.
The vessel had 24 crew members on board at the time of the incident, comprising 20 Chinese nationals, three citizens of Myanmar, and one Bangladeshi national. Indian Coast Guard officials confirmed that two crew members have been rescued so far, while intensive efforts continue to locate the remaining 22 missing seafarers.
According to maritime authorities, contact was abruptly lost with the cargo ship shortly before it went down. The vessel had departed from the Odisha coast on Friday, carrying a consignment of iron ore bound for Singapore. The exact circumstances and technical causes leading to the vessel’s loss of communication and subsequent sinking remain under investigation.
In response to the distress situation, maritime security agencies initiated a large-scale rescue mission involving Coast Guard and Naval assets. Merchant vessels operating along nearby shipping corridors have also been alerted to maintain a sharp lookout and provide logistical assistance in locating survivors.
Senior officials stated that primary efforts remain focused on scanning the waters for liferafts and locating the remaining crew members across the search perimeter. Further operational details and updates regarding the status of the missing crew are awaited as rescue efforts progress.
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