22 Crew Members Missing After Cargo Ship Sinks In Bay Of Bengal, Massive Search Operation Underway

A massive search-and-rescue operation intensified on Sunday after the Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal, leaving 22 of its 24 crew members missing.

The vessel, carrying 72,100 metric tonnes of iron ore fines, had departed Paradip Port in Odisha and was sailing towards Singapore when it encountered trouble about 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast. The ship had sent a distress alert before communication was lost, triggering an urgent multi-agency rescue operation.

A major new detail emerging from the rescue operation is that the two survivors reportedly told authorities that the vessel had developed a list on Friday and sank within around eight minutes, leaving the crew with little time to abandon ship. The exact cause of the sinking, however, has not yet been officially established.

The 24-member crew comprised 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national. Two crew members were rescued from separate life rafts after a nearby merchant vessel, MT Aisopos, was diverted to assist in the operation. They are receiving medical attention, while rescue agencies continue efforts to identify and locate the remaining seafarers.

The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have mounted an extensive search across the remote stretch of the Bay of Bengal. Coast Guard ships ICGS Varad, ICGS Anmol and ICGS Vijit have been deployed, while naval aircraft and other maritime assets are assisting in scanning the surrounding waters and locating possible life rafts.

With 22 crew members still unaccounted for, the operation has turned into a race against time. Authorities are continuing surface and aerial searches as hopes remain focused on finding more survivors.

The circumstances surrounding why MV Ocean Winner began listing and sank so rapidly remain under investigation.