Major Rescue Operation Underway After Cargo Ship Sinks Off India, Leaving 22 Missing

A Panama-flagged cargo ship went down off the eastern coast of India on Saturday, resulting in a massive search-and-rescue operation for 22 missing crew members out of a total of 24, according to the Indian Coast Guard.

The vessel, named Ocean Winner, was transporting 72,100 tonnes of iron ore fines when it sank approximately 445km away from Paradip port in Odisha, the coast guard reported. The crew consisted of 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals, and one Bangladeshi. While two crew members were successfully rescued from liferafts, search efforts for the remaining 22 individuals continued.

Indian government sources informed Reuters that the ship had left Paradip—a prominent port city located on India’s east coast—on Thursday, carrying the iron ore cargo destined for Singapore. The vessel lost communication with maritime rescue authorities on Saturday prior to sinking in the Bay of Bengal.

In response to the incident, the coast guard deployed the ships Varad, Anmol, and Vijay to the location, alongside Indian Navy assets to support the ongoing search. Indian media reports noted that the two survivors were pulled from liferafts by the commercial vessel MT Isopos.

The exact cause behind the sinking remains unknown at this time. Indian authorities have not yet specified whether the ship faced severe weather conditions, mechanical failures, or other issues before going down.

Captain Alekha Charan Sahoo, deputy conservator of the Paradip Port Authority, stated that he is praying for the safety of the crew and hoping for a positive outcome. According to Indian media reports, the vessel's operator, Victory Star Group, reached out to Indian authorities after losing contact with the ship. Independent verification of the ship's ownership could not be immediately established.