Two Chinese vessels join search for 22 missing from MV Ocean Winner

Questions mount over cargo safety checks and MV Ocean Winner's ageing condition after an emergency beacon and an empty lifeboat are recovered during search operations

Search and rescue operations for the 22 missing crew members of Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner were intensified as two Chinese vessels joined the mission on Tuesday.

 

Despite joint efforts by the Indian Coast Guard, the Navy, and Beijing's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), no survivors have been found yet.

 

The search team, however, discovered an emergency beacon of the vessel and an empty lifeboat that were found floating. The discovery has brought the focus back on the circumstances that caused the vessel to tilt and sink within eight minutes.

 

The 225 metre vessel that sailed from Paradip port with more than 72,000 tonnes of iron ore fines sank in the Bay of Bengal, nearly 230 nautical miles off the Odisha coast, on August 22. Only two of the 24 crew aboard the vessel were rescued.

 

Sources said additional Coast Guard assets and merchant vessels operating in the area have been deployed to expand the search grid. ICGS Varad, in coordination with merchant vessels in the vicinity, is conducting an extensive search.

 

During an aerial reconnaissance mission, a naval aircraft detected a distress transmission and guided Varad towards the reported location. The Coast Guard vessel subsequently recovered the emergency beacon from the area which, on verification, was confirmed to be associated with MV Ocean Winner.

 

"At around 7 am, Varad located a lifeboat belonging to the bulk carrier in the search area. A boarding team inspected the lifeboat but found no survivors. Coast Guard ships, aircraft and merchant vessels continue to search the area," said a Coast Guard spokesperson.

 

While the precise cause of the incident has not yet been established, the sudden sinking of the vessel has raised questions over whether all prescribed safeguards were followed before the iron ore fines, which were reportedly wet, were loaded at Paradip Port.

 

Officials suspected either cargo liquefaction or ageing condition of the vessel could be the reason behind the incident apart from the rough weather.

 

They said the investigation must not stop at determining whether the cargo was wet but should establish whether the entire chain of safeguards — from sampling and laboratory testing to certification, loading, insurance surveys, and the master's decision to sail — was properly followed.

 

“If liquefaction is established, it must be investigated whether the cargo was within its transportable moisture limit (TML) when it was loaded and whether the tests represented the actual cargo condition that went into the ship,” said Captain Nakiran Velluswamy Mudaliar, senior vice-president of a shipping company.

 

Iron ore fines are specifically recognised under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code as a Group A cargo, meaning cargoes that may liquefy. The International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO's) schedule for iron ore fines says the cargo can liquefy if its moisture content exceeds the TML.

 

Experts said the investigation would establish whether the required certificates were issued, independent surveys were conducted, and there was any discrepancy between the documented condition of the cargo and its actual condition.

 

“There could be possibly two reasons why Ocean Winner capsized. First, cargo could have shifted due to liquefaction. Second, a structural failure, such as a crack, hull damage or even a structural break-up. Although testing is carried out and a certificate issued before loading, the accuracy of that test needs to be part of the investigation,” said Captain Prashant Kumar Padhi, who worked for a Dubai-based company.

 

Despite repeated attempts, no official of the Directorate of Maritime Administration was available to comment on the progress of the investigation.