A Panama-flagged bulk carrier carrying 24 foreign crew members has sunk in the Bay of Bengal, around 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast. The vessel, MV Ocean Winner, was transporting over 72,000 metric tonnes of iron ore fines to Singapore after departing from Paradip Port. Following the sinking, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indian Navy launched an extensive joint search-and-rescue operation.
Rescuers have safely pulled two crew members from the water, while frantic search efforts continue for the remaining 22 missing personnel.
Vessel Disappears from Maritime Radar After Departing Paradip
The merchant vessel set sail from Odisha’s Paradip Port on the night of August 20 with 24 international crew members on board. The crew comprised 20 Chinese nationals, three sailors from Myanmar, and one Bangladeshi national.
However, the ship lost total radio and satellite contact on Saturday morning.
The vessel’s operating firm, Victory Star Group, immediately alerted maritime authorities after the ship vanished from live tracking screens, prompting an emergency distress relay across the regional maritime corridor.
Indian Coast Guard and Navy Deploy Ships and Aircraft
Upon receiving distress alerts at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Vijaya Puram, Indian defense authorities quickly mobilized specialized search assets.
The Coast Guard dispatched offshore patrol vessels ICGS Varad, ICGS Anmol, and ICGS Vijit to scour the open waters. In addition, naval surveillance aircraft flew sorties over the accident zone to locate survivors.
Search teams spotted life rafts adrift in rough sea conditions and successfully pulled two survivors aboard Coast Guard vessels for emergency medical care.
Search Widened Amid Warnings to Commercial Ships
Meanwhile, maritime rescue agencies have issued navigational alerts to all commercial merchant vessels crossing the central Bay of Bengal.
Authorities asked commercial ships in the vicinity to keep a sharp lookout for lifeboats and distress flares. Rescue operations are continuing around the clock despite challenging weather and high ocean swells.
Furthermore, maritime safety investigators are analyzing the vessel’s loading reports and distress data to understand what caused the sudden structural failure or flooding in deep waters.
Curated news reports, in-depth analysis, and special features by India’s Opinion editorial team.
