Search continues for 22 after bulk carrier sinks off India

[NEW DELHI] India’s Coast Guard and Navy continued search-and-rescue operations off the country’s eastern coast on Sunday (Aug 23) after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel carrying 24 crew sank, with two Chinese nationals rescued, a senior official said.

The two rescued Chinese seafarers said the vessel developed a list on Friday and sank within eight minutes, forcing crew to abandon ship, said Shyam Jagannathan, director general of India’s Maritime Administration.

Jagannathan said the chances of finding survivors generally fall sharply after 12 hours, but rescuers were continuing the search.

Twenty-two crew members remain missing from the Ocean Winner, including 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi, said the Indian Coast Guard.

The Indian Navy is closely coordinating with the coast guard to locate the remaining crew, it said in a post on X.

The coast guard has sent two vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly known as Port Blair, for the search-and-rescue operation, a coast guard spokesperson said.

SEE ALSO

South Korean container ship will test Arctic route to Europe amid Western disapproval

Iran risks losing key economic lifeline with UAE halting trade

Oil shipments rise in Hormuz although questions grow over Iran’s transit terms

Asean Intelligence

Get insights into businesses across South-east Asia

Get the free report

The Ocean Winner was carrying iron ore bound for China after departing from India’s eastern Paradip port on Friday, based on an initial report from India’s Maritime Administration.

The cargo ship sank about 240 nautical miles from the port, government sources indicated. The cause of the sinking was not immediately known. REUTERS