Search Underway for 22 Crew Members After Bulk Carrier Sinks Off India

Rescue teams combed the Bay of Bengal for a second day on Sunday as the search for 22 missing crew members of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Winner entered its critical phase. Two Chinese nationals were plucked from liferafts by the commercial vessel MT Isopos hours after the ship sank approximately 445 km off Odisha’s coast on Saturday, but hopes of finding more survivors dimmed as currents and rough seas hampered operations. “The vessel developed a list and sank within eight minutes,” Shyam Jagannathan, director general of India’s Maritime Administration, told reporters, citing accounts from the rescued crew.

The Ocean Winner, carrying 72,100 tonnes of iron ore from Paradip port to Singapore, lost contact with maritime authorities on Saturday before disappearing in one of India’s busiest shipping lanes. Its crew of 24 included 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar citizens, and one Bangladeshi. Indian Coast Guard ships Varad, Anmol, and Vijay, along with Indian Navy assets, joined the search, scouring an area spanning hundreds of square kilometers. By Sunday evening, no further survivors had been found.

The ship’s rapid sinking—within minutes of listing—raised questions about potential structural failures or unforeseen hazards, though officials have not speculated on causes. “We are praying for the safety of the crew and hoping for the best,” said Captain Alekha Charan Sahoo, deputy conservator of Paradip Port Authority. Victory Star Group, the vessel’s operator, alerted Indian authorities after losing communication, though ownership details remain unclear.

Maritime experts emphasized the challenges of survival in the Bay of Bengal’s unpredictable waters. “The chances of finding survivors fall sharply after 12 hours,” Jagannathan noted, though rescue efforts continued into Sunday. The Indian Coast Guard deployed aircraft for aerial surveillance, while ships combed the area where the Ocean Winner sank, roughly 240 nautical miles from shore.

As of Sunday, the missing included 18 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar citizens, and one Bangladeshi. The rescued pair were transferred to a coast guard vessel for medical evaluation, with no immediate reports of serious injuries. Paradip port officials confirmed the ship had departed Thursday with its iron ore cargo, bound for Singapore—a routine route for Indian exports.

The incident marks one of the largest maritime disasters in the region in recent years, prompting calls for improved safety protocols. For now, families of the missing await news, as the search enters its third day with no confirmed sightings of additional survivors. Authorities have not ruled out extending operations beyond the 72-hour window typically considered critical for survival at sea.