2 survivors from Panama vessel rescued, search ops underway: Sonowal

ICG ships join search after vessel with Chinese crew sinks

A Panama-flagged bulk carrier, MV Ocean Winner, sank in the Bay of Bengal, 240 nautical miles off the Paradip coast of Odisha.

The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese, three Myanmarese, and one Bangladeshi national.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Indian Navy have launched a large-scale search and rescue operation. Three ICG ships, 'Varad', 'Anmol', and 'Vijit', have been deployed to augment the rescue efforts.

Two survivors have been recovered from liferafts by a commercial vessel, MT Aisopos, diverted to the scene.

Two survivors have been rescued from the Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying 24 people on board, that sank in the Bay of Bengal, and search operations are underway, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Sunday.

The Panama-flagged vessel, which was carrying iron ore from Paradip Port to China, sank around 230 nautical miles from the Paradip coast of Odisha.

"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," Sonowal said in a social media post on X.

All agencies are coordinating closely and search and rescue efforts are underway, he said.

"Two survivors have been successfully rescued and are being given medical care; their rank and identity are currently being verified," the minister said

ICG Launches Extensive Rescue Mission : The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Eastern Naval Command have intensified search and rescue operations after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier, carrying 24 crew members, sank in the Bay of Bengal, around 230 nautical miles from the Paradip coast of Odisha, officials said on Sunday.

The MV Ocean Winner, carrying "20 Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi" on board, sank on Saturday, they said.

Two crew members were rescued on Saturday.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) diverted MT Aisopos, a commercial vessel that was in the vicinity, to "search for the vessel or liferafts and render assistance, and the vessel recovered two survivors from two liferafts at about 2000 hrs", an ICG spokesperson had said.

The ICG has deployed three ships to conduct surface searches for the remaining crew members, it said in a post on X on Sunday.

The Eastern Naval Command, in an X post, said aircraft P8I "on surveillance sortie was rapidly re-deployed for Search & Rescue mission in coordination with #MRCC at Sri Vijay Puram".

ICG ships 'Varad' and 'Anmol' have been deployed for the search-and-rescue efforts, while 'Vijit' has also been engaged from Sri Vijaya Puram to augment the operation, the ICG official said.

The MV Ocean Winner was carrying iron ore from Odisha, officials had earlier said.