World News
Search underway for 22 crew members after cargo ship sinks off India's coast
Two sailors have been rescued while Indian authorities search the Bay of Bengal for the remaining crew of the Panama-flagged Ocean Winner.
The short version
- The Panama-flagged bulk carrier MV Ocean Winner sank roughly 276 miles off India's eastern coast in the Bay of Bengal.
- Two crew members were rescued and received medical attention, while 22 crew members remain missing.
- A joint search-and-rescue mission involving Indian military vessels and commercial shipping is scouring the area for survivors.
Key facts
- The Panama-flagged cargo vessel MV Ocean Winner sank in the Bay of Bengal approximately 276 miles (444 kilometers) off the coast of Odisha state after carrying 24 crew members.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- Two crew members were rescued late Saturday and were provided medical care while authorities worked to verify their identities.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- The 24-person crew comprised 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals, and one Bangladeshi national, leaving 22 individuals unaccounted for.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- The Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and the nearby commercial vessel MT Aisopos deployed assets to conduct surface searches in the area.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
- The ship was transporting an iron ore shipment loaded at Paradip Port.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle · ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- Reports conflict on the vessel's destination, with Indian government statements indicating it was bound for China while tracking data cited by other reporting pointed to Singapore.[Associated Press · Deutsche Welle]
- The specific cause of why the ship began listing and sank within minutes remains unknown.[Deutsche Welle]