Paradip: A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying iron ore from Paradip port to China is believed to have sunk in Indian waters after disappearing about 220 nautical miles (396 km) from Port Blair in the deep sea.
MV Ocean Winner has not been located since about 8:30 pm August 21, raising fears that the vessel has sunk.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on social media platforms that Indian search and rescue teams, including the Navy and Coast Guard, have rescued two of the 24 crew members aboard the vessel.
Search operations are continuing for the remaining crew members.
Sonowal expressed concern over the incident and prayed for the safe recovery of those still missing.
The incident has drawn comparisons with the MV Black Rose disaster, which occurred 17 years ago September 9, 2009.
The China-bound vessel had become unstable after being loaded with wet iron ore and sank while anchored in the sea.
The latest disappearance has once again brought into spotlight the loading of wet cargo in ships.
The vessel was carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three from Myanmar and one from Bangladesh. Details about the two rescued crew members were not immediately available.
The Paradip Coast Guard headquarters has deployed three patrol vessels to the area to conduct search and rescue operations.
The incident has drawn international attention as authorities continue efforts to locate the missing crew members and determine the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s disappearance.
The vessel left Paradip port at 10:30 pm August 20 after loading iron ore.
The tracking system continued to transmit its location to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai and Chennai until 8:30 pm August 21.
Since then, authorities have been unable to establish the ship’s whereabouts.
The MRCC is monitored by the Indian Coast Guard.
There is speculation that the vessel may have encountered trouble because it was carrying wet iron ore.
The issue of wet iron ore loading may not be considered further because the vessel’s captain had already left the berth and a Statement of Facts (SOF) had been completed before the ship departed.
However, a short video of the iron ore loading operation at Paradip port has gone viral on social media platforms.
The video appears to show wet cargo being loaded onto the vessel.