Panama-Flagged Cargo Ship Sinks 240 Nautical Miles Off Odisha Coast; Rescue Operations Underway

A Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Odisha on Saturday. The ship, identified as MV Ocean-Winner, was en route to Singapore after departing from Paradip Port in Odisha.

The vessel left Paradip Port around 10:30 pm on August 20, carrying about 1,700 tonnes of iron ore. It had 24 crew members on board, comprising 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh.

Communication with the ship was lost, prompting an alert. At 11:48 am on August 22, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Vijaya Puram received information about the loss of contact, along with a request for search and rescue assistance from the ship’s operating company, Victory Star Group Co Ltd.

In response, the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy initiated a joint rescue operation. Coast Guard ships Varad and Anmol were dispatched to the area, while a third vessel, Vijit, was also deployed from Sri Vijaya Puram to support the effort. Other vessels operating in the vicinity were alerted and requested to assist with the search and rescue activities.

Authorities indicated that the exact number of crew members rescued remained unclear at the time of the latest updates. Efforts continued to locate and assist the remaining personnel.

The incident occurred while the ship was transporting iron ore loaded in Odisha. Maritime officials and rescue teams focused on locating survivors and addressing the situation in the open sea. The joint operation by the Coast Guard and Navy aimed to cover the extensive search area effectively.

Further details on the cause of the sinking and the status of all crew members were expected as the rescue mission progressed. Authorities maintained coordination to ensure a thorough response to the maritime emergency.