A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, the MV Ocean Winner, carrying 24 crew members, sank in the Bay of Bengal approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Paradip, Odisha, on Saturday. The vessel was transporting iron ore from Odisha, with its last port of call being Paradip and its next destination Singapore.
Massive Rescue Operation Underway
Following the distress, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) initiated a large-scale search and rescue operation. Three ICG ships—Varad, Anmol, and Vijit—have been deployed to the area. The Indian Navy has also joined the ongoing efforts to locate the missing crew.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Sri Vijaya Puram received an alert at 11:48 AM regarding the loss of communication with the MV Ocean Winner (IMO 9145530). The MRCC immediately diverted a commercial vessel, MT Aisopos, which was in the vicinity, to assist in the search.
Two Survivors Recovered
The swift response led to the rescue of two survivors by the MT Aisopos. They were found in two separate liferafts at approximately 8:00 PM on Saturday. The search operation is actively continuing for the remaining 22 crew members, who include 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmarese citizens, and one Bangladeshi national.
Authorities are working diligently to cover the vast search area and provide any necessary assistance to those affected by the maritime incident.