Panama-flagged cargo ship sinks off Odisha coast, rescue operation underway
Bhubaneswar, Aug 22 (IANS) A Panama‑flagged cargo vessel, MV Ocean‑Winner, sank in the Bay of Bengal around 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast on Saturday, prompting a major search‑and‑rescue operation by Indian maritime authorities.
The ship had departed Paradip Port at approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 20, carrying about 1,700 tonnes of iron ore and bound for Singapore. It had 24 crew members on board: 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh. Officials confirmed the vessel was loaded with iron ore from Odisha.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Vijaya Puram received an alert at 11:48 a.m. on August 22 that it had lost contact with the vessel. The request for search and rescue assistance came from Victory Star Group Co. Ltd, the company operating the ship. The vessel’s last known position was reported near 317 East Island Light, approximately 310 nautical miles away.
In response, the MRCC activated the Indian Search and Rescue (ISN) network. A merchant tanker, MT AISOPOS, was diverted to the area to search for the vessel and any liferafts. Around 8 p.m., MT AISOPOS recovered two survivors from two separate liferafts.
The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy launched a coordinated joint rescue operation. Coast Guard ships ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were immediately deployed, while ICGS Vijit sailed from Sri Vijaya Puram to reinforce the operation. Authorities also alerted other ships operating in the vicinity and asked them to help locate the remaining crew members.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the status of all 24 crew members, and efforts continue to locate those still missing. The exact cause of the sinking remains under investigation.
The rapid response by the Indian Coast Guard, Navy and nearby commercial vessels underscores India’s commitment to maritime safety in the region. Further updates on the rescue operation and the survivors’ condition are awaited.
–IANS
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