India Launches Urgent Rescue After Cargo Ship Sinks, 22 Crew Still Missing

India has launched a major search-and-rescue operation after a Panama-flagged cargo ship sank off the country’s eastern coast, with 24 crew members reported to have been on board. The Indian Coast Guard said it lost communication with the vessel, identified as the Ocean Winner , on Saturday as it was sailing from Paradip port in eastern India toward Singapore carrying iron ore. According to Coast Guard officials, the crew included 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national . The vessel sank about 240 nautical miles, or roughly 448 kilometres, from Paradip port

India has launched a major search-and-rescue operation after a Panama-flagged cargo ship sank off the country’s eastern coast, with 24 crew members reported to have been on board. The Indian Coast Guard said it lost communication with the vessel, identified as the Ocean Winner, on Saturday as it was sailing from Paradip port in eastern India toward Singapore carrying iron ore. According to Coast Guard officials, the crew included 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi national. The vessel sank about 240 nautical miles, or roughly 448 kilometres, from Paradip port. Two Coast Guard vessels were dispatched from Sri Vijaya Puram, formerly known as Port Blair, to assist in the search. The rescue operation was continuing as authorities worked to locate the remaining crew members. So far, two people have been rescued from life rafts, while the fate of the other crew members remains unclear. Authorities have not yet established what caused the vessel to sink. Officials are continuing to gather information as the search operation progresses. The incident has prompted an urgent international maritime response because of the diverse nationalities of those on board. Rescue teams are facing the additional challenge of operating hundreds of kilometres offshore in an effort to locate survivors. Captain Alekha Charan Sahoo, deputy conservator of the Paradip Port Authority, expressed hope that the remaining crew members would be found safely. The sinking highlights the risks faced by seafarers operating along busy international shipping routes. For now, the priority remains finding the missing crew and bringing them to safety as the Indian Coast Guard continues its search operation.