Search Continues for 22 Missing Sailors After MV Ocean Winner Sinks Off Odisha

A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Ocean Winner, went down on Saturday in the Bay of Bengal, roughly 276 miles (444 km) southeast of Paradip on India’s eastern Odisha coast. The vessel was en route with 72,000 tonnes of iron ore bound for China via Singapore. Indian Coast Guard officials reported that two Chinese crew members were rescued the same day after their liferafts were spotted; they are now receiving treatment aboard a Coast Guard rescue ship and are expected to be taken to Paradip.

Rescuers find no trace of missing crew days after cargo ship sinks in Bay of Bengal Rescuers find emergency beacon, lifeboat of sunken ship; 22 sailors still missing

The Indian Coast Guard and Navy intensified the search on Tuesday, deploying aircraft, ships, and merchant vessels. A naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and directed the Coast Guard cutter ICGS Varad to the area. At around 7 a.m., ICGS Varad recovered a lifeboat belonging to the sunken ship; a boarding team inspected it but found no survivors. Later, an emergency beacon linked to MV Ocean Winner was also retrieved. Officials said the search area has been expanded because strong currents and waves could have carried missing crew members away from the wreck site. Coordination is being handled with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Beijing, and additional Coast Guard assets continue to sweep the deep-water zone.

Rescuers find emergency beacon, lifeboat of sunken ship; 22 sailors still missing Rescuers find no trace of missing crew days after cargo ship sinks in Bay of Bengal

The ship carried 24 crew members: 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one Bangladeshi. With two sailors rescued, 22 remain unaccounted for. The cargo of iron ore underscores the commercial significance of the vessel’s route between India and China.

Rescuers find no trace of missing crew days after cargo ship sinks in Bay of Bengal

Indian Coast Guard and Navy officials emphasized that the lack of wreckage hampers determination of the sinking’s cause and complicates the search. They noted that the area’s exceptionally deep waters further challenge rescue operations. The authorities have called on merchant vessels operating nearby to assist and have kept the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Beijing informed of progress. No additional survivors have been reported as of the latest update.

Rescuers find emergency beacon, lifeboat of sunken ship; 22 sailors still missing