A search-and-rescue operation is ongoing following the sinking of the cargo ship Ocean Winner off India’s eastern coast. The Panama-flagged vessel went down on Friday while carrying 24 crew members. Although two Chinese nationals were rescued on Saturday, 22 individuals remain missing, as reported by the Indian Coast Guard.
The two rescued seafarers indicated that the ship began to list, a maritime term for tilting, before it sank within eight minutes, prompting the crew to abandon ship. The exact cause of the listing has not yet been determined, according to Shyam Jagannathan, director general of India’s Maritime Administration.
Rescue efforts are continuing, although the likelihood of finding survivors has significantly decreased after the first 12 hours. The missing crew includes 18 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one Bangladeshi. The Indian Coast Guard has deployed three ships to search the waters approximately 240 nautical miles off the coast of Odisha.
The Ocean Winner was reportedly transporting iron ore from Paradip port in Odisha to Singapore at the time of its sinking. Rescue teams remain hopeful but face challenging conditions as they search for the missing crew members.
