Lifeboat, distress beacon found off Odisha 3 days after ship sank, 22 sailors still missing

Three days after a cargo ship sank off the coast of Odisha, an emergency beacon and a lifeboat were discovered in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. As of now, there is no sign of the 22 crew members who went missing. Since Saturday night, the Indian Coast Guard has been tirelessly searching for the 22 out of the 24 missing crew members aboard the Panama-flagged MV Ocean Winner.

The Indian Coast Guard's advanced, homegrown Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varad recovered the beacon, which was later verified to belong to the MV Ocean Winner. A naval aircraft detected a distress signal, leading the ICGS Varad to the coordinates provided. The emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) on a vessel automatically or manually transmits a distress signal and precise position location.

The lifeboat was found at 7 am on Tuesday, but a boarding team did not locate any survivors. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Beijing, China, has been collaborating with the Indian Coast Guard in the search and rescue mission, deploying two of its merchant vessels to bolster the operation. Out of the 24 crew members, 20 are Chinese nationals, three are from Myanmar, and one is from Bangladesh.

The search for the remaining missing crew members is ongoing, with sustained efforts by the Coast Guard's assets, aircraft, and merchant vessels. Additional Coast Guard resources and merchant vessels are being deployed to heighten the search operation. The two rescued sailors are being returned to the mainland and are expected to be repatriated to China, in coordination with the Chinese embassy. The Directorate of Maritime Affairs may record statements from the rescued crew members.