Bhubaneswar: A massive search and rescue operation is underway in the Bay of Bengal after the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner sank off the Odisha coast with 24 crew members on board. Two people have been rescued, while 22 crew members remain missing, according to the latest updates on Sunday, August 23.
The vessel sank around 240 nautical miles off the Paradip coast after authorities lost communication with the ship on Saturday. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have mobilised ships and other resources to search the surrounding waters for survivors.
Two Crew Members Rescued, 22 Still Missing
MV Ocean Winner was carrying a total of 24 crew members when it went down.
The crew comprised:
- 20 Chinese nationals
- 3 Myanmar nationals
- 1 Bangladeshi national
Two survivors were subsequently located in separate life rafts and rescued by the nearby merchant tanker MT Aisopos, which had been diverted to assist in the emergency response.
Search teams are continuing efforts to locate the remaining 22 missing seafarers.
Indian Coast Guard Deploys Three Ships
The Indian Coast Guard has intensified the rescue mission by deploying three ships to conduct extensive surface searches in the Bay of Bengal.
Reports identify ICGS Varad, ICGS Anmol and ICGS Vijit among the Coast Guard vessels mobilised for the operation.
The Indian Navy has also joined the mission, making it a coordinated maritime search effort as authorities race against time to find the missing crew members.
Nearby commercial vessels have also been alerted through maritime safety networks to provide assistance if they detect survivors, life rafts or debris associated with the sunken vessel.
What Happened to MV Ocean Winner?
The incident began after communication with MV Ocean Winner was lost while it was sailing through the Bay of Bengal.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received information about the loss of contact and a request for search-and-rescue assistance from the vessel’s operator.
Authorities then activated an international maritime safety alert and requested nearby vessels to assist.
MT Aisopos responded to the alert and later located two survivors in life rafts at around 8 PM on Saturday.
The exact circumstances that caused the ship to sink have not yet been established, and authorities have not announced a confirmed reason for the accident.
Ship Was Carrying Iron Ore
MV Ocean Winner was a Panama-flagged bulk carrier transporting iron ore after departing from Paradip Port in Odisha.
Ship-tracking information cited in reports indicated that the vessel was heading towards Singapore and had an estimated arrival date of August 27.
The vessel was approximately 225 metres long and more than 32 metres wide, making it a large commercial bulk carrier.
The ship reportedly disappeared from maritime tracking systems before confirmation emerged that it had sunk.
Massive Search Underway in Bay of Bengal
The search area presents a major challenge due to the vessel’s location hundreds of kilometres from India’s eastern coastline.
Coast Guard vessels are conducting extensive surface searches while maritime authorities continue coordinating with the Navy and merchant ships operating nearby.
Finding survivors quickly is particularly important after a vessel sinks because crew members may be dispersed across a wide area by currents, waves and weather conditions.
As of the latest confirmed update on August 23, 22 of the 24 people onboard remain unaccounted for.
Cause of Sinking Remains Unknown
There has been no confirmed official explanation so far for why MV Ocean Winner sank.
The vessel had been carrying iron ore when communication was lost, but authorities have not established whether weather conditions, structural failure, cargo-related issues or another factor contributed to the incident.
Further investigation is expected once rescue operations progress and authorities obtain additional information from survivors, the vessel’s operator and maritime records.
Rescue Operation Remains the Priority
For now, authorities are concentrating on finding the missing seafarers rather than determining the cause of the disaster.
The Indian Coast Guard’s deployment of multiple ships, support from the Indian Navy and assistance from merchant vessels underline the scale of the emergency response.
The rescue of two crew members has provided hope that more survivors could still be located as the search continues across the Bay of Bengal.
Officials have said operations will continue to locate the 22 missing crew members, while further updates are expected as search teams cover the area where MV Ocean Winner went down.
Source – Reuters / Indian Coast Guard
Supreme News Network
