Panama-flagged cargo ship sinks off Odisha coast, 2 rescued, 22 missing

A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying 24 crew members sank after communication was lost off Odisha, prompting a major Coast Guard-Navy rescue operation as the search for survivors continues.The vessel sank around 240 nautical miles from the Paradip coast in Odisha, officials said. (Representative photo: Reuters)A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying 24 crew members sank in the Bay of Bengal off Odisha on Saturday after communication with the vessel was lost, triggering a major search and rescue operation by the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy.The Indian Coast Guard said it received information regarding the loss of communication with MV Ocean Winner, which was carrying 20 Chinese, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi crew member.The Coast Guard has so far rescued two survivors, while the search for the remaining crew members is underway.The vessel sank around 240 nautical miles from the Paradip coast in Odisha, officials said. COMMUNICATION LOST WITH MV OCEAN WINNERThe Coast Guard received information about the loss of communication with MV Ocean Winner before the vessel sank, officials said.The ship had left the Odisha coast on Friday and was carrying iron ore bound for Singapore. A senior IPS officer earlier told PTI that authorities were initially unsure how many crew members had been rescued.The Coast Guard has now confirmed that two survivors have been recovered.COAST GUARD, NAVY LAUNCH RESCUE OPERATIONFollowing the loss of communication and sinking of the vessel, the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy launched a joint rescue operation.Other vessels in the vicinity have also been alerted and asked to assist in the search for the missing crew members.The operation is focused on locating the remaining crew and establishing their condition.The exact circumstances that led to the vessel sinking have not yet been established.24 CREW MEMBERS WERE ON BOARDMV Ocean Winner had 24 crew members on board - 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi, according to the Indian Coast Guard.The vessel had departed from the Odisha coast on Friday carrying iron ore for Singapore.It sank around 240 nautical miles from Paradip, prompting the Coast Guard, Navy and nearby vessels to join the rescue effort.With two survivors rescued so far, the search operation is continuing for the remaining crew members.Further details about the circumstances surrounding the sinking and the condition of those still unaccounted for are awaited.- EndsPublished On: Aug 22, 2026 22:36 IST