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

Three days after the MV Ocean Winner cargo ship sank off the Odisha coast, an emergency beacon from the vessel and a lifeboat were discovered in the search area of the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. As of now, there is no trace of the 22 missing crew members. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has been conducting an intensive search for the 22 of the 24 missing crew members of the Panama-flagged ship.

The ICGS Varad, an advanced, indigenously built Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel, recovered the emergency beacon which was later confirmed to be associated with the MV Ocean Winner. During an aerial search, a naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and guided the ICGS Varad towards the reported location. Following this, the ICGS Varad recovered the emergency beacon.

The lifeboat was located at 7 am on Tuesday, but upon inspection by a boarding team, no survivors were found. The Maritime Search and Rescue Centre of China has been coordinating with the Indian Coast Guard in the search and rescue operation, deploying two of its merchant vessels to intensify the operation.

The 24 crew members of the ship, including the two survivors, consist of 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh. The search for the remaining missing crew members is ongoing with sustained efforts by Coast Guard assets, aircraft, and merchant vessels.

The two rescued seafarers are currently on the Coast Guard ship and are being brought back to the mainland. They are likely to be repatriated to China from Paradip, where they will be taken to the Paradip Port from where they will be repatriated to China in coordination with the Chinese embassy. The directorate of maritime administration may also record statements of the two rescued crew members.