![](https://bharatshakti.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LT-BSI-Defence.gif")
The Indian Coast Guard and Navy continued search-and-rescue operations off India’s eastern coast on Sunday after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying 24 crew members sank, with two Chinese nationals rescued from life rafts, officials said.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) at Sri Vijaya Puram, Port Blair, launched the operation on August 22 after receiving a distress alert and losing contact with the MV Ocean Winner, located about 230 nautical miles southeast of Paradip port. The vessel was carrying 20 Chinese nationals, 3 Myanmar nationals, and 1 Bangladeshi national.
Following an alert through the International Safety Net, the merchant vessel MT AISOPOS rescued two Chinese crew members from life rafts, the Coast Guard said.
The rescued seafarers told authorities that the vessel developed a list on Friday and sank within about eight minutes, forcing the crew to abandon ship, India’s Maritime Administration said.
Twenty-two crew members remain missing, including 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi, according to the Coast Guard.
The officila said the chances of finding survivors generally decline sharply after 12 hours, but search operations were continuing.
The Indian Navy said it was closely coordinating with the Coast Guard to locate the missing crew.
Three Coast Guard vessels have been deployed from Sri Vijaya Puram, the Coast Guard said. “ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were deployed for SAR efforts, while ICGS Vijit was also deployed from Sri Vijaya Puram to augment the operation,” a spokesperson said.
The MV Ocean Winner was carrying iron ore to China after departing from Paradip port on Friday, according to an initial report by the Maritime Administration. Government sources said the vessel sank about 240 nautical miles, or roughly 448 km, from Paradip.
The cause of the sinking was not immediately known.
Team BharatShakti
