A 22-year-old merchant navy cadet, Sarthak Mahapatra, has gone missing from the vessel EA Jersey while on duty in Malaysian waters. Mahapatra, who has been with Anglo-Eastern Ship Management since July 2022, was last seen entering his cabin on February 3, before an empty cabin was discovered during a routine check around 8:30 AM.
The ship, en route to Singapore from West Africa, initiated an immediate search and conducted a crew headcount, confirming his absence. Operations slowed to intensify the search in surrounding waters, and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mauritius was notified.
Family members reported that their last communication with Mahapatra was on February 2, raising concerns when subsequent attempts to contact him failed. His mother, Rashmita Mohapatra, has appealed to both Chief Minister Mohan Majhi and Odisha’s Director General of Police for urgent government intervention. She urged the authorities to assist in locating her son, expressing her deep concern over his disappearance at sea.
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