Singapore-bound bulk carrier sinks off eastern coast of India, 22 crew still missing
22 crew members remain missing after a Panama-flagged cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal, prompting a joint search-and-rescue operation by India’s Coast Guard and Navy.
The vessel, MV Ocean Winner, sank on Saturday (22 Aug) about 240 nautical miles off Paradip on India’s eastern coast.
The cargo ship, carrying 1,700 tonnes of iron ore, had departed Paradip Port on 20 Aug, NDTV reports.
According to marine tracking data, its reported destination was Singapore, while India’s shipping minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said the vessel was bound for China.
Ship sank within minutes
The vessel sent a distress alert about 700km east of Visakhapatnam.
Source: NDTV
According to Indian officials, the ship developed a list before sinking within around eight minutes, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
An Indian Navy P-8I surveillance aircraft was deployed to the area and detected liferafts. The aircraft then coordinated with nearby tanker MT Aisopos, which rescued two crew members from separate liferafts at around 8pm.
The two rescued seafarers, identified as Chinese nationals, are receiving medical treatment.
Crew members from China, Myanmar and Bangladesh
The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh.
The Indian Coast Guard said 22 crew members remain missing, including 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi sailor.
Source: NDTV
Coast Guard vessels, including Varad, Anmol and Vijit, have been deployed for the search, while other ships operating in the area have also been asked to assist.
The cause of sinking remains unknown
The ship’s operator, Victory Star Group, reportedly requested search-and-rescue assistance after losing contact with the vessel.
The registered owner and commercial manager of MV Ocean Winner is listed as Fuzhou-based Ocean Winner Shipping, which operates as a single-ship company.
Source: NDTV
The 225m vessel was built in 1998 by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding. It previously operated under the name Tiara Globe before being sold in 2015 and later renamed Ocean Winner in 2023.
Authorities have not determined the cause of the sinking. Indian officials said the search operation is continuing, although the chances of finding survivors decrease as time passes.
Also read: 2 crew members dead after S’pore-registered ship sinks in South China Sea, 4 still missing
2 crew members dead after S’pore-registered ship sinks in South China Sea, 4 still missing
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Featured image adapted from NDTV.
