New Delhi, August 26: A 24-member crew aboard the merchant vessel MV Ocean Winner is currently missing after the ship sank in the Bay of Bengal. Out of the crew, 22 members are unaccounted for, while two have been rescued safely.
The Indian Coast Guard has ramped up its search efforts for the missing crew members. They are coordinating with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in Beijing, China, to conduct a comprehensive search and rescue operation. Additional Coast Guard vessels and commercial ships in the area have also joined the search efforts.
The Panama-flagged cargo ship MV Ocean Winner had a diverse crew, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar, and one Bangladeshi. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard have initiated a large-scale search and rescue operation to locate the missing crew members.
The Coast Guard vessel ICGS Vard is actively searching for the missing crew members in collaboration with nearby commercial ships. During the operation, a naval aircraft reported a distress signal, directing ICGS Vard to the location of the signal.
Upon arrival, ICGS Vard recovered an emergency beacon, which was identified as belonging to MV Ocean Winner. To strengthen the search operation, additional resources from the Indian Coast Guard have been deployed.
On August 25, ICGS Vard spotted a lifeboat from MV Ocean Winner. The Coast Guard team reached the lifeboat for inspection; however, no individuals were found on board.
The search for the remaining crew members continues. The Indian Coast Guard’s ships, aircraft, and nearby commercial vessels are persistently conducting search operations over a vast area of the sea.
The Coast Guard has stated that the search for the missing crew members is ongoing with utmost seriousness and continuous efforts. Additional resources are being utilized to expand the search area further.
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