Panama-flagged cargo ship sinks in Bay of Bengal, 22 crew members missing

Two of the 24 crew members aboard MV Ocean Winner have been rescued from life rafts so far, while search-and-rescue efforts are underway to trace the others

Twenty-two seafarers went missing after a Panama-flagged cargo ship MV Ocean Winner carrying over 72,000 tonnes of iron ore fines from Odisha sank in the Bay of Bengal, around 230 nautical miles off the eastern coast, officials said on Sunday.

 

Two of the 24 crew members aboard the vessel MV Ocean Winner have been rescued from life rafts so far, while an intensive search-and-rescue operation is underway to trace others.

 

En route to China, the 225-metre vessel that sailed from Paradip Port on August 21 after loading iron ore fines, sank in the deep sea on Saturday. The crew members included 20 Chinese, three Myanmarese, and one Bangladeshi.

 

 

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) activated the search-and-rescue (SAR) response after communication with the vessel was lost. Coast Guard ships - Varad, Anmol and Vijit and a Navy maritime surveillance aircraft have been deployed, while merchant vessels operating in the vicinity have also been alerted to assist in the search.

 

“MRCC Sri Vijaya Puram initiated a swift SAR effort following a distress alert and loss of contact with MV Ocean Winner, nearly 230 nautical miles south-east off Paradip. Diverted via international safety net, MT AISOPOS successfully rescued two survivors from life rafts,” Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said in a statement.

 

The ICG has since intensified the operation to locate the remaining crew members. Indian Navy is coordinating with the coast guard to locate the missing crew members. The rough conditions in the Bay of Bengal, however, are making the search increasingly challenging. “The two rescued crew members are from China. They are now in the rescue ship and will be brought to the mainland. Search operation is underway to rescue others,” Commandant Amit Uniyal, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard, told Business Standard.

 

Though the precise circumstances that led to the ship losing communication and subsequently sinking have not been established yet, the vessel sank within 8 to 10 minutes after it began to tilt permanently to one side. Authorities are examining whether the incident was linked to weather and sea conditions, cargo-related issues, mechanical failure, or any other factor. The vessel’s disappearance from tracking systems before sinking will likely be taken up for investigation.

 

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has expressed concern over the incident. He said: “Deeply concerned by the unfortunate incident involving MV Ocean Winner off the coast of Odisha. The Panama-flagged vessel was carrying iron ore from Paradip port to China,” in a social media post.

 

Sonowal said all agencies are coordinating closely and actively conducting search and rescue efforts. Two survivors, who have been rescued so far, are being given medical care. Their rank and identity are currently being verified, he added, wishing for the safety of the remaining crew.

 

MV Ocean Winner was reportedly built in 1998 and has a deadweight capacity -- a measure of the total weight a ship can carry -- of nearly 72,928 tonnes, while the cargo loaded at Paradip port was about 72,200 tonnes.

 

One of India's largest ports for handling bulk commodities, Paradip port is a major gateway for iron ore, coal and other mineral cargo, with large international bulk carriers regularly sailing through the Bay of Bengal after loading at its berths.

 

The sinking of the China-bound cargo vessel brings back memories of earlier maritime accidents, including the one involving MV Black Rose. This Mongolian-flagged vessel carrying nearly 23,847 tonnes of iron ore and around 920 tonnes of furnace oil had sunken only a few kilometres from Paradip port after developing a hole in its hull in September 2009.

 

The Black Rose incident was followed by another close call when the Vietnam-flagged MV Vinalines Mighty developed a serious stability problem while carrying about 24,500 tonnes of iron ore from Paradip port. The vessel reportedly began tilting and sent an SOS, although a major disaster was eventually averted.

 

In 2009, MV Asian Forest suffered a similar fate. It had loaded iron ore fines at Mangalore Port on India's west coast and capsised due to cargo liquefaction.