Ship sinks off Odisha; two rescued as Navy, Coast Guard continue search for 22 crew members
Two Chinese nationals rescued; built in 1998, the ship was in its end-of-life period; periodic inspections by national authorities had uncovered several deficiencies
Even after 24 hours of rescue operations by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, the whereabouts of 22 crew members aboard the Panama-flagged bulk carrier M.V. Ocean Winner remain a mystery. The ship, carrying iron ore from Odisha, sank in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha. Two Chinese crew members were rescued, bringing hope for the remaining 22.
The vessel, registered as IMO 9145530, had departed from Paradip Port on August 20, carrying 24 crew members - 20 Chinese, three Myanmarese, and one Bangladeshi. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a distress alert 36 hours after the ship's departure, but communication with the vessel was lost. Navy P8I aircraft detected floating liferafts and an oil slick, leading to the rescue of the two Chinese crew members.
The ship, built in 1998, was in its end-of-life period and had several deficiencies reported in periodic inspections. It was owned by a Chinese company in Fujian.
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