Day 3 of ship-sinking, no clue of missing 22: It is a race against time in Bay of Bengal

On the third day of the search and rescue operation for the crew of the MV Ocean Winner, which sank off the Odisha coast, little progress has been made in locating the 22 missing crew members. Over 150 personnel from the Indian Coast Guard and an Indian Navy surveillance aircraft are tirelessly working to locate the missing individuals. No significant breakthrough has occurred so far, leaving the rescue efforts in a race against time.

The Indian Coast Guard has expanded their search area based on previous data, but the rough sea conditions and high tides in the Bay of Bengal are making the rescue operation increasingly challenging. At least two merchant vessels have joined the operation, further intensifying the mission. Two of the 24 crew members, who were Chinese nationals, were successfully rescued on Saturday.

The vessel, carrying over 72,000 tonnes of iron ore from Odisha to China, was en route to Singapore when it sank around 230 nautical miles from the Paradip coast. The rescued crew members are expected to be brought back to Paradip Port within a day or two, following consultation at the highest level. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi is actively coordinating with Indian officials to keep a close eye on the situation.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has emphasized the importance of coordination among all agencies involved in the rescue efforts, highlighting the collective commitment to finding the missing crew members. However, the cause behind the mishap remains unknown, as officials are currently investigating the incident.