- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Panama-flagged cargo ship sank off Odisha coast.
- Indian Coast Guard and Navy launched rescue operation.
- Two survivors rescued from 24-member crew.
A Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying 24 crew members sank in the Bay of Bengal around 240 nautical miles off the Odisha coast on Saturday, triggering a major search and rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy. Two survivors have been rescued so far.
The vessel, MV Ocean Winner (IMO 9145530), was carrying 24 crew members, 20 Chinese, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi. It was sailing towards Singapore with a cargo of iron ore loaded from Odisha's Pradip Port.
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MRCC Receives Distress Alert
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Sri Vijaya Puram, was alerted about the loss of communication with the vessel with a request for the search and rescue (SAR) from Victory Star Group Co Ltd, the vessel's operator, around 11:48 AM on August 22, ANI reported.
Following the alert, an operation for search and rescue was launched by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy. The MRCC activated the Indian Search and Rescue Network and diverted MT AISOPOS to search for the vessel and its liferafts.
How Many Crew Members Have Been Rescued?
At around 8 pm, MT AISOPOS rescued two survivors from two liferafts. Coast Guard ships ICGS Varad and ICGS Anmol were deployed for the rescue operation, while ICGS Vijit was also sent from Sri Vijaya Puram to assist in the search.
“We are not sure how many of the crew members have been rescued,” PTI quoted a senior IPS officer. The search operation remains underway as authorities work to locate and assist those who may still be in the area.
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