A massive search and rescue operation is underway in the Bay of Bengal after a large international cargo ship sank under unclear circumstances. The incident occurred about 240 nautical miles off the coast of the port city of Paradip, located in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, official sources from the Indian Coast Guard said.
On board the Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner had a total of 24 crew members on board. According to Indian authorities, cited by world media, among them are 20 Chinese citizens, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh.
So far, the rescue of two sailors has been confirmed, who were located in lifeboats from the nearby commercial tanker MT Aisopos around 8:00 p.m. local time on Saturday. They are now under medical observation, but the fate of the remaining 22 crew members remains unknown.
What is known about the incident so far?
The vessel departed in the late hours of August 20 from the port of Paradip with a cargo of 72,100 metric tons of iron ore and was due to arrive in Singapore on August 27. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) lost all communication with the crew on Saturday morning after the ship sent a distress signal and disappeared from tracking systems.
The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have mobilized the specialized ships ICGS Varad, ICGS Anmol and ICGS Vijit in the rescue operation. Meteorologists and maritime safety experts have suggested that heavy rains in the Odisha region and possible wetting of the iron ore being transported before loading may have compromised the stability of the dry cargo ship. However, the investigation into the exact causes will only begin after the search operations are completed.