A Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel carrying iron ore sank off India’s eastern coast on Saturday, the Indian Coast Guard reported. The Ocean Winner lost contact with authorities during the incident, prompting a search-and-rescue operation.
Two crew members have been rescued from lifeboats, according to Commander Amit Uniyal, spokesperson for the Indian Coast Guard. The cause of the sinking has not been determined, and the operation to locate the remaining 22 crew members is ongoing.
The vessel was transporting iron ore when it went down, the Coast Guard stated. The crew consisted of 24 people: 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one from Bangladesh. The incident occurred off the coast of India’s eastern state of Odisha, where maritime authorities are coordinating search efforts.
The Indian Coast Guard did not provide further details on the vessel’s condition prior to the sinking or the conditions at the time of the incident. The agency has not commented on potential contributing factors, including weather or mechanical issues.
Search operations remain active as authorities continue efforts to locate the missing crew members.
